Cebu City – The Department of Health (DOH) has officially launched the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) Command Center, a cutting-edge facility aimed at improving emergency and disaster management across the Visayas. The center, based in Cebu City, marks a significant advancement in regional health infrastructure.
According to Philippines News Agency, the VSMMC Command Center stands as the first fully equipped facility of its kind among Visayas hospitals, designed to effectively manage health emergencies and disasters. "Today marks a significant milestone in our commitment to enhancing emergency and disaster management in the Visayas Region. The inauguration of the command center at VSMMC represents a crucial step towards ensuring swift and coordinated responses to health crises," stated Herbosa during the inauguration event on Monday.
The command center is operated by the DOH and supports a 1,500-bed multi-specialty academic medical center and healthcare provider network in the province. It is equipped with a comprehensive monitoring mechanism, including a live closed-circuit television feed, real-time data surveillance for local emergencies, live weather updates from the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, and seismological activities monitored by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. Additionally, the facility incorporates the Central Visayas Electronic Health Referral System, an in-house queuing system watch, daily bed utilization, a patient tracking system, and electronic health record system monitoring.
Herbosa highlighted that the establishment of the command center aligns with the Department's 8-Point Action Agenda, particularly emphasizing readiness for crises. The inauguration was attended by key figures including VSMMC executive committee members, medical center chief Dr. Gerardo Aquino Jr., DOH Undersecretary for Universal Health Care - Health Services Cluster Area III (Visayas) Dr. Gloria Balboa, DOH Central Visayas Center for Health Development Regional Director Jaime Bernadas, and Cebu Provincial Board member and Committee on Public Health and Social Services chairperson Stanley Caminero.