PHL patient-to-hospital bed ratio at 1:1,000 —Ejercito

An estimated P228 billion will be needed to lower the Philippines' current 1:1000 patient-to-hospital bed ratio to a "standard" 1:800, Senator JV Ejercito said on Wednesday.

Citing data presented at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography on Tuesday, Ejercito said only a few government hospitals in the Philippines are able to provide enough beds to their patients.

"So hopefully, ang kailangan dito, ang estimate is P228 billion to address para lang ma-lower na yung bed to population ration as of the moment is 1:1000. Hopefully we can bring it down to 1:800. 'Yun na ang ideal for the country," he added.

Ejercito, who chairs the Senate health and demography panel and co-chairs the Senate finance committee, said the government could aim to budget P40 billion to P50 billion per year for the hospital improvement, expansion and enhancement.

"So, in order for us to do that, we need about P228 billion. Masyadong malaki 'yun, I know, but if we can program it in such a way hanggang matapos ang administrasyon ni Pangulong (Rodrigo) Duterte by 2022 siguro kakayanin," said the senator.

"We will budget about 40 to 50 billion every year for the hospital improvement, expansion and enhancement," he added.

Ejercito noted that government hospitals are at times packed up to three times their capacity.

"'So you will see people on the corridors, you will see people in the aisle, minsan sa gym na kino-convert nila into wards,"

"Hopefully these are the things that we don’t want to see anymore in 2022," he said.

The senator added that the 1:800 target and the need for additional facilities, services and practitioners could vary depending on the standard level. — Margaret Claire Layug/MDM, GMA News