LAGAWE, Ifugao(PIA) -- The people of Ifugao will soon benefit from the new Ifugao General Hospital(IGH) in Poblacion North, Lagawe.
The provincial government led by Governor Jerry Dalipog with Department of Health - Cordillera Director Rio Magpantay spearheaded the soft opening or "hogop" of the IGH on Friday, June 30, 2023.
Bishop Valentin C. Dimoc of the Apostolic Vicariate of Bontoc-Lagawe officiated a mass and blessed the hospital.
Officials and employees of the PLGU and line agencies, municipal and barangay officials, people's organizations, and the public attended the momentous event , a realization of a long clamor of the people.
The IGH project started in 2009 and at least P400 million from the national and provincial governments have been poured in for the construction of this provincial hospital. As of June 2023, the project is 95 percent complete.
The governor said the hospital is expected to be completed and be in full operation by October this year.
He explained that the “hugop” is a tradition in Ifugao performed by families prior to occupying new house. For the IGH, the PLGU conducted the hugop ceremony for the hospital personnel to already move in and utilize the facilities while the project is being completed.
The Governor added that they are now applying license to operate from the DOH as a level 1 hospital and hopefully apply as a level 2 hospital in 2024.
The Regional Project Monitoring Committee(RPMC) has been conducting project inspection and validation of the hospital building following issues on the implementation of Phase 1 of the project by the Provincial Government of Ifugao and the Phase 2 and 3 by the DOH thru the Department of Public Works and Highways.
In 2020 before the COVID 19 pandemic, the RPMC initiated an inspection of the hospital building particularly to look at the structural retrofitting being done at the main building of the IGH to ensure that the structure will be fit for occupancy following the recommendation of a third party assessment by a structural engineer who recommended additional strengthening measures to ensure stability of the buildings.
The construction of the IGH was proposed as early as 2008 under the Hospital Facilities Enhancement Program of DOH. (JDP/RMC PIA-CAR)
