Currently, the San Lazaro Hospital is a Special National Hospital Medical Center for Infectious Diseases with a 500 bed capacity. It is involved in health care delivery service, especially for the poor suffering from infectious diseases. It has a continuous medical training and research program for medical and paramedical personnel. Some of its short and long term programs are infrastructure improvement and strengthening of its frontline services.
MISSION
- Provide holistic, integrated, equitable and accessible clinical care for all infectious and tropical disease (ITD) cases;
- Ensure adequate response to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases;
- Provide comprehensive training, education and research, both local and international;
- Provide accurate and relevant information on promotion, prevention and rehabilitation of infectious and tropical disease cases.
VISION
The Center of Excellence for Infectious and Tropical Diseases in the Philippines by 2023 and in Southeast Asia by year 2030
QUALITY POLICY
"San Lazaro Hospital is committed to be the center of excellence for infectious and tropical diseases by providing its clients with comprehensive quality patient care, training, education and research servicesdelivered with compassion, competence, dedication and professionalismbased on statutory and regulatory requirements;and shall continually improve its quality management systemto the satisfaction of its clients and other stakeholders."
San Lazaro Hospital: 443 Years in Service
San Lazaro Hospital was founded in 1577 by Fray Juan Clemente as a dispensary in the Walled City of Intramuros. A year later, it begar operating as hospital serving the people of the settlement suffering from leprosy and other diseases. During its 206 years of existence within the city, the hospital was relocated a total of four times. Twice, this was brought about due to destruction of the structure by fire and another two instances for strategic reasons: the protection of the city against invasionby Chinese pirates and later by the British invasion of Manila.
In 1784, by virture of a Royal Decree signed by the King of Spain, the San Lazaro Hospital moved to its present site, known then as Hacienda Mayhaligue. In 1859, then Religious Administrator, Fray Felix Huerta initiated improvements on the compound, building a chapel and enclosing the premises with stone walls in the process. Fray Huerta was succeeded by two (2) religious administrators: Mariano Martinez and Teodoro Martinez.
After 320 years, the Americans took over the hospital in 1898, declaring it a contagious disease hospital manned by various Filipino and American physicians.
From 1918 up to the present, the hospital has been administered by Filipino physicians and administrative officers who act as Chief of Hospital and Superintendent, respectively.
From 1930 to 1931, mentally-ill patients of the San Lazaro Hospital were transferred to the National Psychopathic Hospital, later renamed the National Center for Mental Health. In 1949, leprosy patients were relocated to the Tala Leprosarium (now the Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center) in Caloocan City.
