Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital

Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, the National Maternity Hospital, is a maternal and newborn tertiary hospital located in Santa Cruz, Manila in the Philippines. It also houses the Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital School of Midwifery, one of the best performing institutions recognized by the Professional Regulation Commission in the Midwife Licensure Examinations. In 2015, the World Health Organization recognized the hospital "as a role model of the World Health Organization-Western Pacific Region Office for its essential newborn care programs, which have been proven to reduce infant morbidity and mortality". The Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital started as a six-bed capacity clinic called the "Maternity House" on November 9, 1920. The clinic, which was founded by then Chairman of Public Welfare Board, Dr. Jose F. Fabella, was originally located along Isabel St. in Sampaloc, Manila. It was taken over by the Public Welfare Commission in the following year. In 1922, the clinic added a pediatric section and a school of midwifery. In 1931, the control of the clinic was shifted to the Bureau of Health and again to the Bureau of Hospitals in 1947. It was in 1951 that the clinic was transferred to its present location to the Old Bilibid compound at Santa Cruz, Manila. Unlike other Philippine government hospitals, there was no legislative act that permitted the creation of the hospital. Its present location was only legitimized by Administrative Order no. 140, which was issued by President Manuel L. Quezon on February 19, 1941. The Administrative Order recommended that the Bilibid Hospital will be used as a maternity hospital. On June 15, 1968 the Maternity and Children's Hospital was renamed as Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in honor of the hospital's founder. To date, it has an authorized bed capacity of 700. The Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital School of Midwifery is housed within the hospital. It is a government institution managed by the Department of Health.