Manila: The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) on Tuesday inaugurated a 120-bed capacity hospital inside the New Bilibid Prison compound in Muntinlupa City. The BuCor said Phase 1 of the facility, worth PHP187.2 million, commenced in August 2019 and was completed in April 2023. Phase 2 of the project worth PHP140 million started in March 2020 and is ongoing. 'This is a tangible proof that BuCor aims to ensure that quality healthcare remains a fundamental right for all regardless of their circumstance and ensures that patients receive comprehensive care without the need for frequent referrals to external medical centers,' BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said in a news release. BuCor Acting Deputy Director for Reformation Dr. Ma. Cecilia Villanueva said the new facility marks a crucial step towards improving healthcare access for a diverse range of medical needs. 'From medical and surgical cases to dermatological conditions, end-stage renal diseases, tuberculosis, emergency hypertension, and ca rdio-related cases, the facility is well-equipped to cater to a wide spectrum of health issues,' she said. 'The new hospital facility can address a broad array of medical conditions, even as complex cases requiring specialized treatments or procedures are seamlessly referred to external healthcare institutions,' she added. Source: Philippines News Agency