A Former Sanitarium
Formerly known as Tala Leprosarium, Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital (DJNRMH), was established in 1940 to accommodate patients suffering from Hansen's Disease in the entire Luzon region.
In 1970, the hospital began treating general medical cases (non-Hansen's Disease patients) when there was a high success rate of treatment of the first Hansen patients from research and the advancement of procedures done within the current medical practice. Due to the significant drop of Hansen patients the hospital then considered admission of general cases.
Today
The hospital currently serve as the principal referral hospital for leprosy patients and the premier training and research center for leprosy care and management in the Philippines. It also serves the public health needs of community members of Tala and nearby areas.
DJNRMH envisions of becoming a Tertiary General Hospital and a Center for Rehabilitation and care of leprosy patients. There is a pending House Bill No. 1395 in the Philippine Congress converting 200 beds of the 2,000 beds of DJNRMH for tertiary general health care. While awaiting approval of this bill, DJNRMH’s 2,000 beds is now being utilized for custodial care (1,800 beds) and general care for non-leprosy cases (200 beds).
The hospital also conducts other services available for appropriate patients such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, radiology, laboratory, and medical-social services and assistance.
Address
DJNRMH is now situated within the district of Tala, in Caloocan City, Metro Manila, and occupies 130 hectares of land area, from the original 808 hectares. Reduction of land area is to accommodate previous homeless treated patients and eventually settled and established their own community, called Tala.
Getting around:
The city, like the rest of Metro Manila, is served internationally by NAIA.
Take the LRT Yellow Line and alight at either 5th Avenue, or Monumento Stations. You can also take EDSA-plying buses, which sometimes passes by Monumento area. Caloocan City is now connected to the EDSA MRT-3 line through an expansion project that will eventually connect MRT-3 with LRT Yellow Line 1.
Provincial buses from the northern Luzon area are known to have their main terminals in the Monumento area. The city is also the easiest connection to cities such as Subic, Olongapo, and Baguio. Small but convenient and very affordable tricycles ply around the city. Just say where you are going and they will bring you as fast as possible. Jeepneys also ply around with their own respective fixed routes.
Accommodations in the city are also available. There are lots of inns and hotels throughout the town offering comfortable rooms and cottages at a reasonable price.
• Hotel Sogo Bagong Barrio Caloocan - 5 Gen Mascardo Street Bagong Barrio, Caloocan, Manila, Philippines
• Hotel Sogo Edsa Caloocan - Bonifacio Market, EDSA Monumento Brgy. 81, Zone 8, District 1, Caloocan, Manila, Philippines 1400
• Hotel Sogo LRT Monumento Stn - 5th Floor, LRT Northmall, Rizal Ave. Extension, Caloocan, Manila, Philippines 3005
• Kabayan Hotel Monumento - 535 Caimito Road corner McArthur Highway, Monumento, Caloocan, Manila, Philippines