SULU SANITARIUM HISTORY
By: AMINKADRA A. MAJID, MD, DPPS, MPA
Chief of Hospital II
The Philippine Commission Act 1711 dated September 12, 1907 “authorized the Director of Health to cause the confinement of all leprous persons in the Philippine Islands and be segregated at Culion Leper Colony.” This led to the establishment of Jolo Treatment Station in the 1920s.
On October 10, 1924 Culion Leper Colony admitted a 19 years old male “moro” leprous patient from Jolo. In June 27, 1931 another 55 years old male from Bud Pula, Patikul, Sulu referral from Sulu was admitted. After the Japanese occupation this was renamed as Jolo Leprosarium. Republic Act No. 753, June 18, 1952, Section 1063, “the Director of Hospitals is authorized to establish for persons with leprosy hospitals and sanitaria.” This paved the way for the renaming to Sulu Sanitarium with 120 Authorized Bed Capacity. This became the Center of Leprosy for Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. Patients came as far as Filipinos residing in Sabah, Malaysia. The first Chief Sanitarium was Dr. Rosario Villamor in 1966. With the great success of the Multi-Drug Therapy regimen in the treatment and management of Leprosy, in 1994 the Department of Health issued a Department Order No. 72: “Redirection of Roles and Responsibilities of the 8 Sanitaria” thereby expanding its mandate to “provide for emergency and out-patient treatment for the general population including non-leprosy cases.” Furthermore, on May 20, 2005, DOH issued Administrative Order No. 2005-013 for Sulu Sanitarium “to provide for emergency, out-patient and in-patient treatment/care for the general population” and “make available initially the following five major Service Department namely: Surgical, Medical, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Family Medicine and Pediatrics.”
This gave birth to the dual legal mandate of Sulu Sanitarium: (1) as Sanitarium for Leprosy patients, and (2) as General Service for the public being a DOH-retained hospital.
In 2006 Sulu Sanitarium began to admit non-leprosy cases as a Level I hospital with 25 Implementing Bed Capacity for General Service and 50 beds for Custodial (Leprosy) cases.
In January 2014, Dr. Aminkadra A. Majid was designated as Officer-In-Charge and subsequently appointed as the Chief of Hospital II on July 17, 2015.
On July 1, 2019 Sulu Sanitarium was upgraded to Level I hospital with 75 Authorized Bed Capacity for General Service and 45 Authorized Bed Capacity as Sanitarium. In April 2020, it converted some 40 hospital dedicated beds for COVID-19 patients.
On December 09, 2020 Sulu Sanitarium was designated as the primary COVID-19 accepting hospital for Sulu per ZP-CHD Office Order No. 2166, s. 2020.
On February 23, 2021 it officially established the Malasakit Center.
On March 8, 2021 Sulu Sanitarium was the first hospital to rollout COVID-19 vaccination among its 260 staff, gratuity and custodial residents.
On March 16, 2021 Sulu Sanitarium House Bill No. 8892, a substitution HB 1583 sponsored by Congresswoman Amihilda J. Sangcopan, was approved in the third and final reading at the House or Representative.
This HB 8892 is an “Act Converting Sulu Sanitarium in the Municipality of Jolo, Province of Sulu, in to a General Hospital to be known as the Sulu Sanitarium and General Hospital, and Appropriating Funds therefor.” It is now in the House of Senate. Sulu Sanitarium envisioned to become Sulu Medical Center in the near future. Sulu Sanitarium staff is inspired by its long-time motto: “One Family, One People, One Service, One Sanitarium.”
SULU SANITARIUM has evolved from leprosarium and Infirmary to now of dual expanded mandate as Level I Hospital with 75 ABC for General Service and 45 ABC for Sanitarium
Short Term Goal:
Level II hospital by 2025
Long Term Goal:
Sulu Medical Center by 2040