It doesn’t hurt to be one step ahead.
Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto recognized that some public and private hospitals in the city are “nearing saturation point.”
Therefore, he said on a post on Facebook, “We have converted the city-run PCCH (Pasig City Children’s Hospital) into Pasig City’s COVID-19 REFERRAL FACILITY.”
Here’s how they are preparing Pasig City Children’s Hospital (PCCH) into a COVID-19 referral hospital, according to USec. Dr. Singh-Vergeire mentioned during the DOH Briefer on April 5.
PREPARATIONS:
1. Our General Hospital’s (PCGH) #CovidUnit is transitioning to PCCH (and pediatric services of PCCH transferred to PCGH);
2. Hiring of additional #healthworkers, including doctors and nurses;
3. Changes have been hospital have been made to the hospital’s #structure and layout (e.g. for doffing/donning of PPEs);
4. Complete #equipment (26 ventilators, dialysis, etc.);
5. 90-bed #capacity (with backup plans for higher capacity in case of an extremely dire situation);
6. Full compliance to #DOH Guidelines for a referral facility;
WHY HAVE A DEDICATED FACILITY?
1. To increase the capacity of our healthcare system to treat Covid-19 patients;
2. Reduce cross-contamination between covid and non-covid;
3. Need to keep other services of the Pasig City General Hospital (PCGH) operational (other medical needs do not stop just because of covid);
4. More efficient use of resources (e.g. we will need a slightly lower number of PPEs).
In the comments section, the mayor explained if this move is safe.
(Rough translation: Other people ask, “Is this safe for residents who live near the hospital?”
Yes, this facility is safe. Like what our health official said, “The virus doesn’t pass through walls.”
Therefore, “close contact” is what causes the spread of the virus. Therefore, social distancing and washing of hands frequently are needed to avoid the spread.
Our experts are doing everything in terms of precautionary measures to ensure the safety of this facility.)
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