By LITO RULONA, Correspondent Lack of doctors, nurses, midwives, hospital equipment, beds, and medicines are still the top problems dogging the Gingoog City General Hospital up to now. The hospital’s chief physician Dr. Joel Babanto, Jr told board members at the ongoing budget hearing at the Provincial Capitol, yesterday. Babanto said they are now facing a dearth of doctors and nurses after the latter resigned and sought for higher fees set by the Civil Service Commission. “We are more concern on the doctors because (the) number of patients has been increasing in our hospitals and even in some municipal-based hospital in the province, doctors (have resigned) from hospital assignment.” He added that new graduates of medical schools are either focusing on their own businesses or no longer interested in public service. “Doctors nowadays tried to look for higher fees and want to own cars and houses. Siguro ma-attract lamang kini sila karon kung hatagan kini sila og laing benepisyo gawas sa suweldo,” he pointed out. Provincial board member Gerardo Sabal III, for his part, suspects that the problem in Gingoog City General Hospital is the same with other seven municipal-based hospitals in the entire province. “Gitinagsa nato pag-deliberate ang matag-hospital but naka siguro ako nga mao gihapon ang problema nga maaise like need (for) doctors, equipment, and medicines,” he said. Other doctors resigned from municipal hospitals after they opted to undergo specialization medicines in other areas like Metro Manila and other key cities in the country. “Dili nato sila mabasol kay ila man kana nga freedom but the government service to the people is now at stake. Dili sila gusto modawat sa suweldo nga gamay sa government hospitals. Building wala na’y problema ang isulod ani nga mga doctor maoy problema,” he said.