The Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Hospital is a specialized hospital that provides medical care to Filipino migrant workers and their dependents. The hospital is located in San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines. The OFW Hospital is the first hospital in the Philippines that provides free medical care to OFWs and OFW dependents. The hospital has a wide range of facilities and services, including an outpatient clinic, an inpatient ward, a pharmacy, and a laboratory.
The OFW Hospital also offers specialist services, such as internal medicine, surgery, and obstetrics/gynecology. In addition, the hospital provides psychological counseling and social work services to its patients.
Also Read: OFW Guide: How To Open an Overseas Filipino Bank Account
The OFW Hospital was established in response to the growing need for specialized medical care for Filipino migrant workers. The hospital aims to provide quality health care to its patients and to improve the overall health of the Filipino migrant worker population. The OFW Hospital has been successful in its mission to OFWs, and it has become a model for other hospitals providing medical care to migrant workers.
What you Need to Know about the Philippines’ First-Ever OFW Hospital
Earlier in 2022, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) approved the opening of the OFW Hospital in San Fernando, Pampanga, starting May 1. Of the thousands of migrant workers currently staying in the Philippines, the OFW Hospital is the most recent medical facility built specifically for them.
As things stand, the services provided by the first-ever hospital for overseas Filipino workers (OFW), which was constructed by the Duterte government to help our modern-day heroes, would be of enormous use to hundreds of thousands of active and former OFWs, as well as their families. Read the following sections to learn more about the first hospital serving overseas Filipino workers in the Philippines.
What is the OFW Hospital?
The OFW Hospital is open to all Filipino Overseas Workers (OFWs) and their families. The hospital is also accessible to those who wish to avail of its services through the PhilHealth or OWWA.
This facility will conduct medical examinations on overseas workers in order to verify that their mental and physical capabilities are in line with the task order requirements that have been accepted. In addition to that, it will function as a key referral hospital for Filipino citizens who are in need of assistance.
The Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) Hospital is a government hospital with one hundred beds that is intended to provide comprehensive and comprehensive medical care to the family members of people working overseas. In addition to this, it seeks to give migrant workers, such as those who are members of the OWWA, a wide range of additional medical services.
Also Read: Department of Migrant Workers (DMW): What You Need to Know
Who can avail of the services of the OFW hospital?
Every single Filipino Overseas Worker (OFW) and their families are welcome to seek medical care at the OFW Hospital. Those who wish to make use of the hospital’s services can do so via PhilHealth or OWWA, and the hospital is easily accessible to those individuals.
The hospital provides free consulting services for a variety of chronic diseases and ailments, including diabetes, hypertension, leprosy, skin care, and others that are prevalent among individuals who work in foreign countries.
What are the Benefits to OFWs and Beneficiaries?
The most obvious advantage of building an OFW Hospital is that it will make it easier and more convenient for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to receive medical care. This can be of particular assistance to those who, in their home countries, do not have access to appropriate medical treatment, particularly if they are employed in occupations that provide a high risk of injury or illness.
The Overseas Filipino Worker Hospital will, in addition to providing basic health services, also provide comprehensive medical care. This type of care will include both preventive and curative treatment choices, as well as preventative measures like vaccination programmes.
These types of programmes are important because they ensure that employees remain healthy and able-bodied throughout their tenure abroad so that they can continue working productively without risking getting sick or injuring themselves on the job—which would both cost employers money while also causing delays in work schedules due to missed days at work or hospitalisation periods resulting from accidents caused by poor physical condition among workers. These types of programmes are important because they ensure that employees remain healthy and able-bodied throughout their tenure abroad so that they can continue working productively without risk (e.g., car accidents).
Programs and Services
It is highly vital for you to maintain your health if you are an OFW. At some point in time, you could find it necessary to go to the hospital in the country where you were born. The Philippines is home to the world’s first hospital dedicated to serving the needs of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). This groundbreaking facility provides migrant workers with a variety of programmes and services, including medical care in the event that they become injured or ill. Since its opening in early 2022, the institution has provided the following programs and services to its patrons as follows:
- Free medical and dental service
- Free consultation
- Free medication
- Free laboratory tests
- Free x-ray
- Free ultrasound
- Dental extraction (free)
- Dental implant(free) * Medical consultation (free)
In addition, the hospital provides an extensive variety of programs and services designed to assist overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in their day-to-day lives. Free consultations on various health insurance plans and programs are one of these. This includes coverage for pre-existing diseases as well as coverage for pregnancy.
Video: Inauguration of the OFW Hospital in Pampanga
Check out this clip below which features the inauguration of this newly created hospital for OFW migrant workers and their dependents:
For the Filipino community, the significant milestone that was the opening of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Hospital cannot be overstated. The hospital is an absolutely necessary facility that will offer overseas Filipino workers and their families high-caliber medical care. The video documents the event where the ribbon was cut as well as the speeches that were given by the officials. It cannot be denied that the hospital represents a beacon of hope for the people of the Philippines.
Photos of the Newly- Built OFW Hospital
Look at these pictures of the OFW hospital when President Rodrigo Roa Duterte visited the completed site for an inspection. These photos show the progress of the president’s words when he shared that one of his priorities are the Filipino migrant workers. These photos give a quick tour of the hospital branch in Pampanga.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about the OFW hospital and their services.
1. When can OFWs expect this hospital to be accessible to them?
In May of 2022, the Department of Health (DOH) of the Philippines officially opened the very first overseas Filipino worker hospital in the history of the country. The clinic, which will be located in Pampanga, would provide free consultations, medical exams, and treatment for overseas Filipino workers and their families.
It is anticipated that the hospital will provide care for approximately 400 patients each day, which is equivalent to approximately 3,500 people per month. There will be a total of 17 rooms, including 10 consultation rooms and 7 examination rooms. A patient will be able to obtain treatment at the brand-new medical facility, which will also house an outpatient clinic, without having to go through any additional procedures prior to being admitted into the hospital.
In addition, the brand-new medical facility will come equipped with an X-ray department, a laboratory, and a pharmacy that offers reasonably priced and discounted medicinal options. In addition, there are plans to expand their services in the future to include additional modalities, such as physiotherapy and other forms of therapy, in order to give their patients a higher level of care.
2. Who spearheads this project and how is it being funded?
Through a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Health, the Philippine Overseas Health Workers’ (POHW) Welfare Fund is providing financial support for the construction of the very first overseas Filipino worker hospital in the Philippines (DOH).
The POHW Welfare Fund, which is a non-stock, non-profit business that offers health care benefits to overseas Filipino workers, is the organisation that is taking the initiative to drive this project forward (OFWs).
Dr. Julieta Tiongco, who is also an active member of the Department of Health Task Force for Overseas Workers’ Welfare, serves as the company’s president and chief executive officer. Eric Domingo, the Secretary of the Department of Health, is in charge of the task team.
Dr. Julieta Tiongco, Dr. Candelaria “Candy” Cruz, and Dr. Luisito Torio are the three people who serve on the board of directors for the POHW Welfare Fund. It also has a technical working group that is composed of medical professionals who have been providing medical services to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) since 2010. These medical professionals include doctors from public hospitals such as the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI), the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP), and the University of Santo Tomas Hospital Foundation Incorporated (UST Hospitals Foundation Inc.).
3. Can non-OFWs be admitted in the hospital?
Yes. Patients who are not OFWs but who have been referred to the hospital by an overseas worker or by an agency that places workers in foreign jobs are welcome to receive treatment at the facility. The hospital is also willing to treat the dependents of Filipinos who are stationed overseas in official capacities such as diplomats or government employees.
4. What kind of healthcare services will it offer?
Dental care will also be provided at the OFW Medical Center in addition to primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of medical treatment. Additionally, the Department of Health intends to create a training institution for nurses and midwives at the location of the hospital.
5. Will the hospital cover emergency medical cases from other countries?
Yes. In addition, the hospital will offer an emergency room service for Overseas Foreign Workers (OFWs) who are currently working in other countries and require quick medical attention.
6. Will the hospital provide free health check-ups to OFWs?
Yes, the hospital will provide free checkups for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). This comprises both the pre-employment medical examination as well as the post-employment medical examination, in addition to any other specialised exams that may be required by sponsors or employers.
7. Will the hospital provide affordable medical treatments?
In response to your inquiry, the hospital does, in fact, make all of its services available to any and all Filipinos working outside the nation. This is true for each and every one of the hospital’s services.
8. Will this hospital make my OWWA membership fees worth it?
Yes! If you are an active member of OWWA, you need to do everything in your power to take advantage of this service. An individual is considered to be an active member of the OWWA if they have paid their monthly membership fee within the preceding two years.
Summary
We have high hopes that this article has provided you with a better understanding of the OFW Hospital and the contributions it makes to the Filipino community. We are quite proud of the work that is done at the hospital since it is a demonstration of our nation’s dedication to looking out for the well-being of its citizens. In your personal exploration of options for Philippine healthcare, we hope you find the information presented here to be helpful and enlightening.
The Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Hospital is a medical facility catering to the healthcare needs of OFWs and their families and offers a wide range of services including but not limited to general medicine, outpatient services like general consultation, diagnostics (laboratory and imaging), and referral to specialists. The OFW Hospital is committed to providing quality healthcare services to its OFW and OFW dependent patients.
Contact Information
OFW Hospital Pampanga
Address: MacArthur Highway, San Fernando, Pampanga
Hours: Daily from 8 am to 5 pm
Website: https://ofwhospital.owwa.gov.ph/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/OFW-Hospital-101593242553179/
ALSO READ: List of OFW Programs Launched during Duterte Administration