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DOH to transfer patients to new NCMH building amid overcrowding

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="The National Center for Mental Health in Mandaluyong City, Oct. 27, 2020. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/11/10/20201026-health-workers-protest-nmhh-jc-9.jpg"/><figcaption>The National Center for Mental Health in Mandaluyong City, Oct. 27, 2020. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — The Department of Health is set to transfer dozens of patients to a new building at the National Center for Mental Health amid overcrowding in the facility&#x27;s forensic ward.</p><p>The NCMH&#x27;s forensic ward or Pavilion 4 currently houses 600 patients with pending cases, way beyond its capacity of 300.</p><p>&quot;Nagawan na itong building na pinatatayo natin,&quot; DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a press briefing Wednesday. &quot;By Friday, puwede ng lagyan ng mga pasyente. So, maililipat na natin itong I think almost 60 of our patients.&quot;</p><p>The acting health chief also disclosed they had found 2 other pavilions that could accommodate other patients.</p><p>&quot;We are trying our best to decongest itong mga pavilions na medyo congested,&quot; she said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/04/23/doh-open-to-senate-probe-on-ncmh-tragic-condition">DOH says open to Senate probe on &#x27;tragic&#x27; state of National Center for Mental Health</a></li></ul><p>Sen. Raffy Tulfo filed last week a resolution seeking to investigate the alleged &quot;tragic condition of the patients&quot; at the country&#x27;s main government-run mental health facility.</p><p>The senator in a statement said he wanted to investigate the alleged corruption in NCMH&#x27;s management and identify the root causes of the problems in the institution.</p><p>&quot;Sa sahig sila natutulog at walang banig, kumot o unan. Nagsisiksikan na parang mga sardinas at sobrang init na mistulang pugon dahil walang ventilation at kulang sa electric fan,&quot; Tulfo has said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/11/23/pdls-in-ncmh-overstaying-due-to-pending-court-order-bjmp">PDLs in NCMH overstaying due to pending court order, says BJMP spox</a></li></ul><p>In a previous interview, NCMH chief Dr. Noel Reyes blamed the slow &quot;transition&quot; process that the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology observed in getting back the patients.</p><p>Reyes said at least 200 patients were already fully recovered, but remain under their care.</p><p>But the BJMP explained that patients who have recovered from varying mental health issues could not immediately return to jail due to the absence of a court order.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2580127" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The DOH is set to transfer dozens of patients to a new building at the NCMH amid overcrowding in the facility's forensic ward.