Gov’t eyes better service from COVID-19 referral center after venue transfer

The One COVID-19 Referral Center will be able to offer improved services to callers once it transfers its headquarters to a bigger venue, the country’s treatment czar said Monday.

Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said the government has already made an agreement to transfer the referral center’s headquarters from the Metro Manila Development Authority complex to the Philippine International Convention Center.

“The MMDA complex is becoming small for the number of workers and the number of gadgets that we have for the command,” he said at a Palace briefing.

“Siguro po mga (Maybe by the) middle of May we will transfer and we will be able to provide you a better service and a better functionality,” he added.

Vega also said around 85 more people may be deployed as call center agents to the referral center after passing the interview.

The command center earlier appealed for more call-takers and coordinators amid a surge in COVID-19 cases that left it swamped with up to 300 calls a day. 

Vega said more phone lines have also been opened after the referral center's system was hooked up to the Department of Information and Communications Technology and telecommunications provider PLDT.

The One COVID-19 Referral Center, previously known as the One Hospital Command Center, connects patients needing medical attention to healthcare providers. Those in need of help may call 02-886-505-00, 0915-777-7777, or 0919-977-3333.

“We hope this will not just be for COVID but even in post-COVID we will have a national referral system all over the Philippines connecting the different hospitals, LGUs for access and even for financial services that are needed by the patient,” Vega said. — RSJ, GMA News