3 floors of new CCMC bldg. ‘not ready’ for occupancy

THREE floors of the new Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) building will still not be operational on Monday, Aug. 9, 2021.

CCMC administrator Yvonne Cania, in an interview on Sunday, Aug. 8, said there are still areas that are not yet ready.

Acting Mayor Michael Rama gave a marching order to Cania and CCMC contractors to finish the three floors in three weeks’ time.

Rama wants the new CCMC building to house patients with diseases or ailments not related to coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

He said Covid-19 patients should be confined in the temporary CCMC building across the road inside the Bureau of Fire Protection compound.

The acting mayor directed Cania to set up 200 beds for Covid-19 patients at the temporary CCMC building.

He also directed Cania to set up 300 more beds at the Cebu City Quarantine Center, which currently has 150 beds.

During a press conference on Aug. 4, Rama warned contractors C.E. Padilla Construction Inc. and C.B. Garay Philwide Builders that he would terminate their contract with the City Government if they failed to fulfill his order.

However, Cania said that during their recent inspection, they observed that some areas of the new CCMC building are not yet finished. The ramp needs to be improved, additional comfort rooms need to be installed and the area have yet to be cleaned, she said.

“We cannot risk the health of the patients, especially now that we are facing respiratory problems. So there should be no dust,” Cania said.

The new building also doesn’t have any electricity or water, said Department of Engineering and Public Works officer-in-charge Loelle Corminal. (JJL)