The OFW Hospital is the country’s first hospital dedicated to Filipino migrant workers and their families now expands services while keeping its promise of free health care.
This initiative came as a way of thanking our modern-day heroes, the OFWs, for their immense contribution to the economy.
The Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Hospital and Diagnostic Center or commonly known as the OFW Hospital opened last May 02, 2022. Located in San Fernando, Pampanga, the seven-story, 100-bed facility sits on a 1.5-hectare land that was donated by the provincial government of Pampanga.
OFWs planning to conduct their PEME or post-employment medical exam can avail of that service here for free.
Aside from the OFW, their immediate family members can utilize this medical facility FREE of charge.
Looking through the glass of OFW Hospital. Image by Astra Pimentel.
Eligibility
The OFW Hospital is open for eligible OFWs including seafarers and their families. You must have one of the following qualifications to avail of their services.
Eligible OFWs
- Filipino working or worked overseas
- Landbased or Sea-based
- OWWA active/ inactive, undocumented (Regardless of status)
- Regardless of age
Eligible OFW Dependents
- Legal Spouse
- Minor/ Incapacitated Child
- Parents who rely primarily upon the member-OFWs for support
- Minor sibling of unmarried OFW
Outpatient Services. Image by Winx Sky Guilas
General Services
The OFW Hospital has three major services offered at the start of its opening. These are:
- General Consultation
- Diagnostics: Laboratory and imaging
- Referral to specialists
Specifically, they offer the following services, with some of them on a scheduled basis.
- Outpatient clinic consultation from Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4 pm
- Primary Care Services across ages are provided by specialists in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and General Surgery
- Referral to other specialties (Opthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology/ ENT, Orthopedics, Psychiatry, and other medical and surgical subspecialties)
- Dental services every Tuesday and Wednesday
- Telemedicine/ Teleconsultation services for those with COVID-related symptoms and follow-up patients
- Urgent Care Services from 6 am to 10 pm every day
- Infirmary ward admission for selected cases
- Pharmacy for a growing number of medications
- Basic laboratory, ECG, and imaging studies (X-ray and Ultrasound) by appointment
To be accommodated, you have to book an appointment online using their website or you can contact them in their Facebook Page.
However, many OFWs tried the appointment but can not get an earlier slot. The website is also not accessible as of this moment.
But they do offer consultation assistance scheduled from Monday to Friday starting 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Two of the 100 beds inside the OFW Hospital. Image by PCOO.
Added and Expanded Services
On their latest Facebook post, the OFW Hospital announced that they can now admit patients with the following conditions:
- Uncontrolled Hypertension or Hypertensive Crisis
- Community-Acquired Pneumonia, moderate risk
- Bronchial Asthma in acute exacerbation
- Dengue with warning signs (adults only)
- Uncontrolled Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with or without comorbidities
- Uncontrolled Dyspepsia/ Acid-related disease/Acute Gastritis
- CT-scan confirmed, acute to sub-acute Transient Ischemic Attack/ Cerebrovascular Disease Infarct
- Heart Failure, Functional Class 2, in acute congestion
- Electrolyte imbalances secondary to gastrointestinal losses or poor oral intake
- Acute gastroenteritis with moderate dehydration
- Urinary Tract Infection needing IV antibiotics
- Uncomplicated Neonatal Sepsis
- Systemic Viral Illness with moderate dehydration
Funding and Partnerships
Through the initiative of former President Duterte, the project came to materialize with the help of DOLE, Bloombery Cultural Foundation, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).
The Bloombery Cultural Foundation donated P500 million for the construction of the facility while PAGCOR offered P200 million for hospital equipment.
The building of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Hospital and Diagnostic Center.
Address and Contact Info
All those medical services mentioned here are free and OFWs including their dependents can avail of them.
The OFW Hospital is located at McArthur Highway, Brgy. Sindalan San Fernando Philippines. They are open from Monday to Friday (except holidays) between 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
You can also reach them via email at ofwhcares@gmail.com. Their website is currently down but you can check them from time to time via their Facebook Page.
May the winds be in your favor.
