THE ‘hospital of choice’ amid the pandemic.

With much pride, this was how Manila Mayor Isko Moreno described the current status of Sta. Ana Hospital (SAH) under the directorship of Dr. Grace Padilla, as he greeted her and all those behind its operations on the occasion of the said hospital’s 11th anniversary last April 30.

Moreno and key officials of the city among them Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna, Secretary to the Mayor Bernie Ang, city administrator Felix Espirtu, Manila Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) chief Arnel Angeles and Manila City Council Majority Floorleader Atty. Joel Chua, took turns in extolling Padilla and her staff for making the SAH achieve its present status as a premier hospital specially when it comes to handling COVID-19. Angeles and Chua themselves were cared for and recovered in SAH when they got infected with the virus.

“Talagang nakaka-proud bilang mayor na pinagbubutihan ninyo nang husto ang paglilingkod sa kapwa,” Moreno said, as he lauded Padilla and all the medical workers and staff running the hospital for their dedication and courage.

For her part, Lacuna said of SAH personnel: “Ang pagsisikap ninyong maghatid ng de kalibreng serbisyo-medikal ay sadyang kapuri-puri lalo na nitong isang taong nagdaan na tayo ay naharap sa pandemya.”

Ang, on the other hand, noted how SAH shone in terms of performance when the Moreno administration took over.

“Hindi namin nakita ang galing ng Sta. Ana Hospital until now, during this pandemic. Dito namin nakita na Sta. Ana is really one of the best in the Philippines,” he said.

Ang added: “Saludo kami lalo na kay Director Padilla. Napakagaling, hindi lang ako ang nagsasabi kundi lahat kami sa City Hall. Hangang-hanga kami sa lahat ng mga staff ng Sta. Ana, very accommodating at talagang napakagaling.”

Moreno and Lacuna vowed to continue exploring ways to provide SAH with better and more high-tech equipment at par with private hospitals and to further augment its personnel.

During his live broadcast, Moreno also credited the late Mayor Fred Lim for being instrumental in the building of the SAH, saying Lim readily implemented the ordinance that created the SAH which he (Moreno), as vice mayor then, initiated in the Manila City Council as its presiding officer.

Moreno recounted how it had always been his dream to have the said hospital built in Sta. Ana, so that he moved heaven and earth for the swift passage of a measure for its construction. It was unanimously passed by the Manila City Council under him and swiftly implemented by the executive department under Lim then.

“Sumalangit nawa ang kaluluwa ng ating dating Mayor Alfredo Lim… ito (SAH) ay isa sa mga alaala niya sa atin.. masaya lamang ako para sa inyong mga taga- Sta. Ana at taga-sixth district,” Moreno said.

The SAH is home to the Manila Infectious Disease Control Center, COVID molecular laboratory, RT-PCR machines and the city’s storage facility for COVID-19 vaccines. It is also where all swab test specimens conducted in the other hospitals and the drive-thru testing center are processed for results. Recently, it obtained a license to operate its own Rapid HIV Diagnostic Algorithm Testing Laboratory.