The Northern Samar Provincial Hospital (NSPH) has resumed normal operations after exceeding its maximum bed capacity for more than a week, local officials announced Monday.
Provincial health officer Dr. Ma. Aurora Vicencio and NSPH chief Dr. Joseph Estanislao reported to Governor Harris Ongchuan that the hospital’s situation has stabilized, allowing it to accept new patient admissions once again.
Officials clarified that the recent spike in patients was not due to any disease outbreak but to an increase in common illnesses such as diarrhea, measles, respiratory infections, influenza-like cases, and injuries from vehicular accidents.
To manage the overflow, NSPH coordinated with rural health units and district hospitals to handle mild and non-critical cases within their respective areas.
Northern Samar operates eight district hospitals across the province — in Capul, San Antonio, Biri, San Vicente, Gamay, Catubig, Laoang, and Allen — along with 24 municipal health centers equipped to manage basic emergencies and outpatient services.
This coordination allowed the provincial hospital to focus on patients needing advanced medical treatment.
Governor Ongchuan commended the NSPH management and local health workers for their swift and effective response.
“We recognize the hard work and quick action of our medical frontliners and local health partners. Their collaboration ensures that our people continue to receive timely and quality healthcare services,” Ongchuan said.
On October 18, NSPH appealed for public understanding as it operated at more than double its authorized capacity, serving around 360 admitted patients despite having only 150 authorized beds and an actual 200-bed operating capacity.
