Galvez eyes 4 COVID-19-dedicated hospitals in NCR

National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said they will be recommending dedicating four hospitals in Metro Manila exclusively for coronavirus cases.

“Maganda po na magkaroon tayo sa Metro Manila ng tinatawag na core COVID hospitals dedicated kasi po ang problema natin kapag kumakain tayo ng percentage sa non-COVID beds, ‘yung non-COVID patients ang nako-compromise, ‘yung mga may dialysis, cancer, 'yun po ang nagiging casualty,” Galvez told President Rodrigo Duterte in a meeting aired Tuesday.

“We will be recommending na kung magkaroon tayo ng zoning sa NCR, dapat mayroon tayong apat na COVID-dedicated hospitals. ‘Yun po ang ginawa ng China, within 10 days they built a  COVID-dedicated hospital,” he added.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the plan was to add more COVID-19-dedicated hospitals.

“Mayroon na tayo. Ang PGH [Philippine General Hospital], ang National Kidney [and Transplant Institute] at saka ang Quirino Memorial [Medical Center]. Dadagdagan lang po natin iyong mga COVID hospitals na iyan,” Roque said in a televised briefing on Tuesday.

“Ang ehemplo po na sinabi kahapon in Secretary Galvez nga, doon po sa Quirino nagkaroon na sila ng expanded emergency room para ma-accommodate po iyong mga additional COVID patients.”

ICU, isolation beds

Galvez said increasing the intensive care unit (ICU) and isolation beds of hospitals would be a great help in reducing COVID-19 deaths.

“Nagpupunta kami sa lahat ng ospital tinitignan namin ang capacity. Mr. President, makikita natin kung maitaas lang natin ang ICU natin to more than 1,000 ICU beds at saka ‘yung isolation beds dito sa Metro Manila medyo makakagaan na po,” he said.

“So if we will try to dance with the virus, ang isang stratehiya po natin dapat palakasin natin ang ICU natin,” he added.

He said, at present, hospitals allot 30 percent of their beds to COVID-19 cases but there are government hospitals that could be dedicated for coronavirus cases only.

“‘Yun po nakita namin sa Quirino Memorial Hospital, meron po tayong Mega ER (emergency room). ‘Yung isang floor po dun ginagawa ngayon, ‘yung isang floor parang isang ER na po ‘yun at merong 50 ICU beds,” he said.

“Doon sa East Avenue Medical Center, nakita namin na merong 250 beds at 25 ICU beds, kung iyon po madedicate natin sa COVID lang,” he added.— with Virgil Lopez/AOL/RSJ, GMA News