Take a look back at Tanudan Municipal Hospital history

Tanudan, Kalinga – Now that Tanudan will soon have a better medical facility, let’s trace the history of the lone hospital that has been providing health care to the people in the municipality for almost three decades.

The 10-bed Tanudan Municipal Hospital (TMH) which is currently occupying the old municipal building at Sitio Banagao, Poblacion will soon turn into a 25-bed capacity.

The construction of the more-equipped facility commenced after its groundbreaking ceremony on August 08, 2023.

But before the dream of having a building of its own started to come true, TMH had to rent a house just to provide medical services to yTanudans.

First operated in a rented house

Dr. Tatcha Kinao-Codiam of TMH, during the groundbreaking rites of the new building, narrated that the hospital was established on March 08, 1990, in Barangay Si-it, Tanudan through Republic Act 6876.

The health facility, however, only began operation on September 12, 1994, due to a problem on the construction site. Back then, the hospital which acted as a satellite for the Kalinga Apayao Provincial Hospital accommodated people at a rented house in Poblacion, Mangali.

There were 16 health personnel at the time but they were all under the provincial local government unit.

Four years later, the hospital was transferred to the temporary municipal building constructed in 1997 at Sitio Banagao, Poblacion.

Closure

TMH has since been operating without a license as the RA 6876 specified that its location should be in Se-et, Mabaca. Without the needed documents, the hospital can only give outpatient services.

In 2006, the Department of Health ordered the closure of TMH. But in 2008, the people and officials of Tanudan clamored for the reinstatement of the facility.

On September 03, 2013, then President Benigno Aquino III approved the amendment of RA 6876, changing the hospital’s location to Banagao, Poblacion.

Forbidden to admit patients

On August 19, 2022, DOH Regulations, Licensing and Enforcement Division issued a cease and desist order to TMH, ordering it to operate only as an outpatient department (OPD) and forbidding it to admit people.

The institution will remain as OPD until it receives its license to operate as a hospital. One of the requirements for said license is the construction of a physical building.

Front rented house to 25-bed capacity building

Now after 28 years, the realization of the much-awaited building of TMH is here. Its foundation will be laid through the P5.5 million funding from the DOH while its initial structure will be constructed through the P40 million share of Tanudan LGU from the P999M loan of the Kalinga PLGU.

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