Davao’s first public hospital, now known as Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) was officially launched in 1917, which makes it 100 years on August 11, 2017. Upon completion of the structure, the sickbay was named Davao Public Hospital (DPH), a 25-bed capacity medical institution built on San Pedro St., Davao City.
A 1920 Report of the Philippine Health Service prepared for the previous year by Dr. Vicente de Jesus, the Director of Health, related that before the completion of the concrete hospital edifice, the local government had to open a temporary sickbay given the volume of patients that could not be accommodated by the decade-old Davao Mission Hospital.
The Director of Health wrote:
“On account fo the presing public demand caused principally by the influx of emigrants to Davao the service was not able to wait for the permanent concrete hospital building now earing complete and which is expected to be opened to the public in 1920, and opened a temporary public hospital, using the Bureau of Public ‘works laborers’ sickward whose operation was compleed turned over to the Philippine Health Services. It was provided with the necessary equipment and facilities, including one laboratory. The concrete building, when completed, can render better accommodation to as many as 50 patients.”
The hospital’s first director and resident physician was Dr. Simeon B. Macasaet, whose annual salary was pegged at P2,400. He was joined by Juan L. Factora, who was superintendent, property clerk and cashier; chief nurse Andrea Vicente and two subordinate nurses, Remedios Ferrer and Ignacio Diego. At the close of 1919, the public hospital’s staff composition expanded to include four ward attendants, five helpers, and two cooks.
Records of hospital cases attended in 1919 showed that malaria topped the list of deadly diseases attended with 37, followed by Asiatic cholera, 13; influenza, nine; and dysentery and beri-beri, with eight. Lung tuberculosis contributed four, while three died from acute nephritis or inflammation of the kidneys.
Meanwhile, purulent infection and septichaemia and typhoid reported two deaths each, while rickets, aoplexy or cerebral haemorrhage, diarrhea and enteritis, intestinal diseases, liver disease, Bright’s disease (chronic inflammation of kidneys), acute abscess, and external violence registered one death each.
Despite its limited space and deficiency in medical staff, the sanatorium, later known as Davao Hospital, accepted nearly all kinds of illnesses, both simple and traumatic. The hospital cases other than those reported with death count included dysentery, leprosy, syphilis, anemia or chlorosia, ankylostomiasis, asthma, chronic brohictis, and forms of mental alienation.
In terms of 1919 figures, there were 486 patients admitted, while 2,977 outpatients were given treatment. On a daily basis, there were 8.1 outpatients attended to.
Clinical cases was considerable given that 144 patients underwent medical treatment; 25 were subjected to surgery; two, for eye, ear, nose and throat consultation; and 15 for obstetrical admission. Most of the patients were Japanese, with a sprinkling of American and European.
There were more men than women who sought treatment, i.e. 375 to 111.
Services at the hospital were classified into three, namely: charity, which benefitted 213 patients; government free, wth 199 clients; and private pay, with 74 cases. A total of 10 minor opertions were conducted during the year, while another four, classified as charity, were major.
In terms of prescription, the hospital treated 996 charity cases, while 759 were classified as government free. The number of outside calls made by hosital staff was at 312 cases.
According to the same 1920 report, hospital expenses covering the period from September to December 1919, were as follows: allowance for subsistence of patients, P2,385.22; allowance for subsistent of personnel, P805; and expenditures for subsistence of patients and personnel, P1,905.69. During the same period, the hospital collected P1,806.16 from payments.
In the years preceding World War II, DPH continued to evolve, serving more frenetically the needs of Davao just as it was elevated into a city in 1937. When the global conflict broke out in 1941, the Japanese Imperial Army took over the facilities and used it headquarters. Only the Mintal Hospital situated at the city was allowed to operate, mainly serving Japanese casualties.
After the war, the hospital was renamed to Davao General Hospital and its bed capacity expanded to 200. Over a decade later, the hospital, in 1957, was transferred to its present location at Bajada, where it sits on a sprawling 12.8-hectare site.
By virtue of Republic Act 1859, it was again renamed, this time as the Davao Regional Medical and Training Center and was, under Department of Health Administrative Order 157, designated as medical center for Mindanao and Sulu due to its role in health care delivery.
In 1986, the Davao Mental Hospital, hitherto an extension of the National Center for Mental Health, was placed under the management of the hospital, now the Davao Medical Center with a 600-bed capacity. The name Davao Regional Hospital and Training Center later became the official name of Davao del Norte Provincial Hospital.
On November 19, 2009, by virtue of RA 9792, the hospital’s name was changed again to Southern Philippines Medical Center, this time with a 1,200-bed capacity. The complex housing the sanatorium also hosts a Burn Center and the Mindanao Heart Center.
