Occupancy at Fabella Hospital neonatal ICU exceeds capacity

Occupancy at the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital's neonatal intensive care unit, where premature babies and those with other afflictions, has exceeded its capacity.

According to JP Soriano’s report on “24 Oras,” Fabella's neonatal ICU could only take in 60 babies.

“Full capacity po kami, more than 70 ang aming sick babies," explained Medical Center Chief, Dr. Esmerraldo Ilem. "Kaya kung dadagsain din kami ng mga pasyente, wala ho kaming paglalagyan ng aming mga bagong silang na sanggol na medyo kritikal and condition, COVID man sila or non-COVID.”

(We’re at full capacity, we have more than 70 sick babies. Should we experience a surge in patients, we have no place to put newborns who are in critical condition.)

However, there was a separate facility for infants with COVID-19.

Since March 2020, only seven infants tested positive for the illness at the hospital.

According to the US Center for Disease Control, it is not yet clear why some newborns were not infected though their mothers were found to be positive for COVID-19.

Also, based on studies, there was no evidence of an active virus in a mother’s womb or her breast milk.

Meanwhile, the Fabella hospital had 51 health workers who were active COVID-19 cases. None of them had been vaccinated for the illness.

Despite these cases, the hospital was still adequately staffed and had no problems providing care for patients.

"Hindi pa muna, dahil hindi karamihan [ng COVID-19 cases] sa medical at nursing personnel. Pero kapag dumami sa aming medical and nursing personnel, mahihirapan kami," said Ilem.

(At the moment, we aren't experiencing any difficulties from COVID-19 because most of the positive cases are not from the medical and nursing staff. However, if the illness starts spreading among medical and nursing personnel, things will get difficult.) — Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News