Hospitals urged to refer mild, asymptomatic COVID-19 cases to temporary treatment centers

The Department of Health (DOH) is urging hospitals to refer mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 cases to state-run temporary treatment and quarantine facilities to avoid congestion amid the pandemic.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire made the call two days after the DOH reported that 11 hospitals in Metro Manila have 100% utilization rate of their intensive care unit beds for COVID-19 patients.

"Part po ng ating protocol na kapag mild at asymptomatic, ire-refer po sa temporary treatment and monitoring facility para di po ma-congest ang ating hospitals," she said, stressing that mild and asymptomatic cases should still be attended to.

"Mas malaking challenge iyan sa mga private hospitals kasi ang mga pasyente diyan may sariling doktor, at kung pinayagan sila ng doktor, mako-confine sila," Vergeire pointed out. "Pero hindi natin masyado nakikita yan sa government hospitals."

Vergeire, however, clarified that mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients with pre-existing condition will be allowed to be confined in hospitals.

"Kung may pre-existing condition ang pasyente, puwede itong gawing exemption dahil sila ay vulnerable," she said.

Vergeire said hospitals can take cue from the practice of the state-run Philippine General Hospital, which has partnered with the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), now a temporary treatment and monitoring facility for mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients.

"Hospital kasi ang magre-refer dahil hindi naman puwede ang walk-in sa mga temporary treatment facilities. Hindi lang kasi basta ilalagay ang pasyente roon. Babantayan pa rin ang pasyente to make sure that they are taken care of," she said.

Vergeire did not disclose the hospitals that are accommodating mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients, but said DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III has already reminded the hospitals in a meeting last Monday to follow the protocol.

The DOH has required Metro Manila hospitals to allocate 30% of their bed capacity and resources to COVID-19 patients, a number that is raised to 50% in the event there is a surge of COVID-19 cases.

Vergeire said that not all hospitals, both government and privately-owned, have been able to comply with this but noted that such a situation is understandable in some cases.

"May mga ospital na di makapag-comply at ang rason nila ay justifiable at reasonable naman kung bakit hindi nila magawa itong 30%. Kasi iyong iba, pag ginawa nila iyong 30%, mawawalalan sila ng surgical ward,” she said.

"Iyong surgical ward, 10 ang kama noon, pero kung COVID-19, lima lang ang puwede kasi dapat may physical distancing,” Vergeire added.

Vergeire, however, assured the public that hospital administrators have made a commitment to Duque that they will be resourceful to be able to comply with the DOH requirement for COVID-19 patients.

The Philippines has 47,873 COVID-19 cases as of July 7. Of this number, 12,386 recovered while 1,309 died. —KBK, GMA News