Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital
History
Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital started as a six-bed clinic called the "Maternity House" on November 9, 1920. The clinic, which was founded by then Chairman of Public Welfare Board, Jose F. Fabella, was originally located along Isabel Street in Sampaloc, Manila. It was taken over by the Public Welfare Commission the following year. In 1922, the clinic added a pediatric section and a school of midwifery. In 1931, the control of the clinic was handed over to the Bureau of Health and in 1947 to the Bureau of Hospitals. In 1951, the clinic moved to its present location at the Old Bilibid compound at Santa Cruz, Manila.
Unlike other Philippine government hospitals, there was no legislative act that permitted the creation of the hospital. Its present location was only legitimized by Administrative Order no. 140, which was issued by President Manuel L. Quezon on February 19, 1941. The Administrative Order recommended that the Bilibid Hospital be used as a maternity hospital. On June 15, 1968, the Maternity and Children's Hospital was renamed Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in honor of the hospital's founder. To date, it has an authorized bed capacity of 700.
The Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital School of Midwifery is housed within the hospital. It is a government institution managed by the Department of Health.
The hospital is considered a "baby factory" and a "ground zero for the Philippines’ overpopulation crisis." As a result, there are not enough beds for patients, so 4 to 5 mothers share one bed. The hospital also suffers from extreme heat during the summer.
References
- ^ Villa, Jet (March 5, 2015). "WHO names Fabella Hospital a Western Pacific 'role model' for newborn care". InterAksyon.com. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
- ^ "DJFMH History". Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital. September 23, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
- ^ Narang, Sonia (March 11, 2015). "In this Manila 'baby factory,' why women put up with crowding four to a bed". PRI. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
- ^ Fleming, Amy; Michaelson, Ruth; Holmes, Oliver (August 13, 2018). "Heat: the next big inequality issue". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved August 13, 2018.