[ [http://www.usthospital.com.ph/aboutusth/usthhistory.php History of UST Hospital] Accessed September 7, 2007] .] During World Wars
World War I and II became a major turning point for the San Juan de Dios Hospital. During the Japanese occupation, the Quezon Institute was transferred to the San Juan de Dios Hospital. St. Paul's Hospital, located in the Walled City, was later ceded to UST for its clinical training for the duration of the war. It was the first time that the university operated a hospital of its own.
In July 1944, when the American Maryknoll Sisters of the hospital were interned by the Japanese Army, the Daughters of Charity helped them administer the hospital.
But St. Paul's Hospital and the medical school were not spared the ravages of war. In the course of the Liberation of Manila in February 1945, Intramuros was totally destroyed, and all the structures, including the university and its facilities, lay in ruins. But in the aftermath of the war, the occupation of the university campus on España and its conversion into an interim camp by the Americans proved to be a blessing in disguise.
Transfer to España
The Faculty of Medicine and Surgery subsequently transferred to the present campus on España, and a new hospital had to be built. The University authorities purchased the hospital equipment and supplies of the 120th U.S. Army General Hospital, which was based at the College of Education Building and the laboratory apparatus of the 343rd General Army Laboratories, located at the 4th floor of the Main Building for the sum of P350,000 which they borrowed from Elizalde and Company.
Drs. Ernesto Medina-Cue, Clemente Calma, Felix Estrada, Geronimo Tiangco, Belen Espino and Ramon Fraundorff were among the many physicians who laboriously took charge of the equipment inventory and relocation.
UST Hospital: Both Charity and Private
The official history of the current University of Santo Tomas Hospital is traced to the formal opening of its charity unit on February 15, 1945, in a building which stood at the rear of the Main Building. The building house classrooms for the medical school and became the site of the first charity hospital. When the medical school later transferred to its current location, the building became the UST High School until it was razed to the ground by a fire in 1975.
On March 7, 1946, the UST Pay Hospital (Private Division) opened and was inaugurated together with the charity hospital. The roots of this edifice are still noticeable as it is seen as the landmark that divides the modern structure of the current private hospital with the historical part that faces the current medical school.
The very first pay hospital admission was a delivery case - a live female baby.
The First Hospital Administration
The first medical director of the UST Hospital was Dr. Nicanor Jacinto, who was concurrently professor and chairman of the Department of Surgery (1937-1961). The first administrator was Dr. Ernesto Medina-Cue was concurrent professor of clinical pathology and chief of laboratories. Fr. Franicsco del Rio, O.P. served as the first Inspector-General. The members of the first Technical Council of the hospital included the aforementioned personalities as well as Dr. Luis Ma. Guerrero (Dean UST Medicine and Surgery), Rev. Fr. Jesus Diaz, O.P. (Regent, UST Medicine and Surgery), Dr. Agustin Liboro (Chief of Medical Service), Dr. Nicanor Jacinto (Chief of Surgical Service), Dr. Enrique Lopez (Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology), Dr. Renato Ma. Guerrero (Chief of Pediatrics), Dr. Edmundo Reyes (Chief of EENT), Dr. Paulino Garcia (Chief of Radiology), Dr. Erenesto Medina-Cue (Chief of Laboratory Service), Dr. Belen Espino (Chief Pharmacist), and Sors Taciana Trinares and Vicenta Ayerbe (Nursing Directress).
Expansion
In 1946, the public dispensary of the hospital was initially established in a small building at a site to the right of the present Commerce Building, beside the on-campus electrical substation. The first director of the public dispensary was Dr. Castor Surla. On July 13, 1951, the dispensary was reorganized as the Out-patient, with Dr. Francisco Roman as its head.
The Institute of Neuropsychiatry was established in 1950 at the site of the garden area now fronting the Commerce Building. It was the first private institution of its kind in the country. The first two resident physicians of the institute were Drs. Gilberto Gamez and Henry Cube. After three years, however, the unit ceased functioning was eventually closed.
The first hospital morgue was constructed and inaugurated in 1958 in a one-story building separate from the second phase construction of the Medicine Building (now called the St. Martin de Porres Building). It was subsequently demolished to give way to the construction of the current USTH Clinical Division.
The UST Hospital quadrangle was completed in 1959. the charity and private services became consolidated into this building with the charity wards occupying the first floor. The whole charity ward was transferred and eventually renamed the USTH Clinical Division when it was completed in 1965 and formally inaugurated on March 6, 1966.
Dispute over separation from UST and P3-billion expansion
On September 11, 2007, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) announced the appointment of Fr. Rolando V. De La Rosa, O.P. as acting rector, following a directive from the head of the Dominican Order based in Rome for a “new leadership team." The Master of the Order, Fr. Carlos A. Aspiroz Costa, O.P., in a canonical visit to the province, earlier asked the prior provincial of the Philippine Dominican Province, Fr. Edmund Nantes, O.P., who is also UST vice chancellor; Rector Fr. Ernesto Arceo, O.P.; and Vice Rector Fr. Juan Ponce, O.P. to resign over disagreements on how to proceed with developments in the university and the UST Hospital. Azpiroz serves as grand chancellor of UST.
A September 11 circular indicated that a plan to convert UST Hospital into a commercial operation had been stopped for review. UST Secretary-General Fr. Isidro Abaño, O.P. stated: “"The Master believes that a new leadership team will be better able to create the consensus necessary for future developments at the University and Hospital, especially as UST begins preparations for its 400th anniversary in 2011"."
The circular said Fr. Quirico Pedregosa, O.P. had been named vicar over the University and was asked to “"remain in the office for the foreseeable future".” Fr. Pedregosa is the master’s assistant for Asia-Pacific and had served as prior provincial of the Philippine Dominican Province.
The hospital, which separated from the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery in 2004, was to embark on a P3-billion expansion program involving the construction of a 19-storey tower to house doctors’ clinics and other medical facilities. But now, the goal of the redevelopment is to ensure that UST will continue to offer the “highest educational standards in the formation of future doctors and allied medical practitioners and the highest level of medical care and services in both its Clinical and Pay divisions.”
Fr. De La Rosa was a two-term UST rector and former chairman of the Commission on Higher Education. [ [http://www.varsitarian.com/details.asp?id=3337&s=3&sec=news The Varsitarian ] ]
References
