Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso announced that Sta. Ana Hospital has secured a spot in Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals 2026 – Philippines list, ranking 25th among the 35 Philippine hospitals included in the survey.
The annual ranking evaluated more than 2,500 hospitals across 32 countries. Institutions were assessed based on medical expert recommendations, hospital quality metrics, patient experience data, and patient-reported outcome measures.
City officials said the recognition highlights Manila’s sustained efforts to modernize its public healthcare system and elevate the standards of its district hospitals.
Pandemic Investments Strengthened Hospital Capacity
Sta. Ana Hospital played a crucial role during the Covid-19 pandemic as part of the Manila City Health Cluster led by OIC-City Health Officer Dr. Grace Padilla and currently headed by Dr. Janet Tan.
One of its key upgrades was the establishment of a fully equipped vaccine storage facility to ensure cold-chain integrity during the citywide vaccination rollout. The facility housed specialized refrigeration units for AstraZeneca, Sinovac, Janssen, Moderna, and Pfizer vaccines.
The city government also constructed and operationalized the Manila Molecular Testing Laboratory within the hospital complex, significantly expanding local testing capacity. The laboratory includes RT-PCR machines capable of processing up to 1,000 swab tests per day per machine, as well as a rapid molecular testing system.
The hospital also became the site of the Manila Infectious Disease Control Center, with 33 isolation wards and a newly added intensive care unit to boost critical care services.
During the pandemic response assessment, Sta. Ana Hospital received a 97/100 rating from the Metro Manila Center for Health Development under the Department of Health — the highest among Level 2 public hospitals in Metro Manila.
Continued Upgrades Post-Pandemic
Following the pandemic, the city government further expanded the hospital’s services.
A Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Medicine and Robotics Center was established, equipped with Hybrid Assistive Limb units to support patients with neurological and musculoskeletal conditions.
The hospital also opened a dialysis center with 11 dialysis seats, high-end hemodialysis machines, portable reverse osmosis units, a HEPA filtration system, and a negative pressure room for infectious patients.
Sta. Ana Hospital has since secured Level III General Hospital accreditation from the Department of Health, Provisional I Accreditation for its Internal Medicine Residency Training Program from the Philippine College of Physicians, and retained its Mother+Baby-Friendly Hospital accreditation—reinforcing its status as one of the country’s leading LGU-run medical institutions.
