Being the Largest Hospital in South Luzon Photo: Jayson Petate

Naga City, Bicol - Like 2020, 2021 was a challenging year for the Bicol Medical Center. It experienced two COVID-19 surges in the third and final quarters of the year, the increased demand for High-Flow Cannula Machines for COVID-19 patients, and the challenges in mass hiring to keeping up with the manpower complement. Although it is good to remember and list down all the setbacks of the hospital organization, a look back is better with the obstacles it overcame and the opportunities it gained in achieving its new vision of becoming the largest highly-specialized hospital in South Luzon.

After serving as the Bicol Medical Center's Officer-in-Charge Medical Center Chief (MCC) II for nearly three months, Dr. Ronnie Gregorio Gigantone III was appointed as the 14th MCC since the establishment of the hospital in 1933. Last January 28, 2022, Secretary of Health Dr. Francisco T. Duque III installed Dr. Gigantone through a virtual oath-taking ceremony.

Snakebite envenomation is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in agricultural regions in the Philippines, like the Bicol region. This is because snake venom contains neurotoxins that can cause paralysis and death due to respiratory failure and paralysis of the respiratory muscles.

In a matter of five days, our COVID-19 admission rate has rapidly increased. From six COVID-19 patients last January 5, 2022, our census today, January 11, 2022, of confirmed COVID-19 patients has reached 78 and is growing at an alarming rate.