Boracay, a world-class tourist spot, offers 'limited' health services

Despite being hailed across the globe as a white beach paradise, Boracay does not have enough healthcare facilities to accommodate all the needs of the patients on the island.

According to Joseph Morong's report in GMA's 24 Oras on Monday, the Ciriaco Tirol Hospital is the lone government hospital in Boracay that is classified as an infirmary or a health facility that can only attend to simple emergencies.

"'Yung mga uncomplicated cases like mga minor surgeries, mga simpleng medical cases, wag lang 'yung mga intensive care unit na kailangan kasi wala talaga tayong critical care unit. Tapos 'yung mga blood transfusion hindi natin kaya kasi wala tayong blood bank," said Dr. Geremias Caguingin, chief of the public hospital.

The lack of medical facilities limits the health workers' facilities to deliver sufficient services. Patients with complicated cases have no choice but to seek medical intervention from Kalibo which will take about three hours to reach using a seacraft. Air ambulance is not readily available.

Small municipal health offices, on the other hand, also attend to the health concerns of the locals.

A private hospital is under construction and has yet to start its operations in June.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, chair of the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force, acknowledged that despite the initial success of the island's rehabilitation, there are still other issues in Boracay that must be addressed. — Dona Magsino/BAP, GMA News