Emergency rooms and hospital wards across Cebu’s provincial healthcare system are facing heavy patient loads, with the 16 government-run hospitals recording overall bed utilization of 205 percent and emergency room utilization of nearly 415 percent.
The figures came from the provincial government’s consolidated hospital census for Nov. 10, released on Wednesday, Nov. 11, as the administration began publishing daily reports to inform the public about patient occupancy in its facilities.
The report listed 1,398 admitted patients across the 16 hospitals, exceeding their combined capacity of 682 beds by 716 patients.
Emergency rooms handled 834 patients against 201 designated beds, resulting in a utilization rate of 414.9 percent.
The hospitals also recorded 2,132 outpatient consultations and 325 patients at animal bite treatment centers. Their dengue fast lanes attended to another 91 patients.
Argao Integrated Community and Municipal Hospital recorded 91 admitted patients against 25 beds, or 364 percent utilization. Pinamungajan District Hospital reported 37 patients against 10 beds, equivalent to 370 percent.
For emergency room occupancy, Badian District Hospital posted the highest utilization at 950 percent, with 38 patients against four designated beds. Minglanilla District Hospital followed with 63 patients against seven beds, or 900 percent utilization.
Other facilities also reported high admission figures. Balamban Community Hospital had 187 patients against 100 beds, while Danao Community Hospital recorded 287 patients against the same 100-bed capacity.
The provincial government clarified that the census includes patients who remain under its hospitals’ care while waiting for transfer to higher-level facilities capable of providing specialized treatment.
In a statement shared by Dr. Elisse Nicole Catalan, the administration acknowledged the difficulties patients and their families face while awaiting referrals and hospital transfers.
It also cited the ongoing flu surge as one factor contributing to the increasing demand for hospital wards, emergency rooms and outpatient services. The administration said the growing patient count could also reflect greater public confidence in provincial healthcare facilities.
To help manage demand, the provincial government advised residents with non-urgent medical concerns to consult their respective rural health units or city health centers first. These facilities can assess patients and determine whether they need further hospital care.
Residents experiencing medical emergencies, however, were urged to seek immediate medical attention.
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