DOH to probe 297 ‘ghost’ super health centers

The Department of Health will investigate 297 ghost super health centers that were built from 2021, almost four years ago.

“The other [projects] are completed while the others are in different phases of completion,” Secretary Ted Herbosa said in an interview at an incomplete health center in Barangay Concepcion II in Marikina City Wednesday morning.

Some of the health centers have unfinished second floors as the first floors are already accomplished, most of the projects are found in Luzon.

Herbosa explained that health centers should be finished within two years, however, the ghost projects just passed the first phase and have yet to proceed to the second phase.

“My objective as the Health Secretary is to make sure that all these 297 function,” Herbosa said.

Investigation for this fiasco is handled by the Health Facilities Enhancement Project which is solely made to address gaps in public health infrastructure.

The health secretary claimed that there could be more unfinished health centers in the country, but the agency will be coordinating with Local Government Units (LGUs).

A week ago, Herbosa expressed dismay over LGUs and how the projects were left undone.

He also explained that it is the LGU’s responsibility to ensure that the center will be completed as there is an allocated fund and they will be the one to hire the healthcare worker for the facility.