Floods force San Lazaro Hospital to close outpatient department

San Lazaro Hospital in Sta. Cruz, Manila was forced to close its outpatient department on Tuesday as floodwaters from the Habagat rains entered the premises.

In a 24 Oras report from Darlene Cay on Tuesday, employees could be seen mopping and shoveling water out the door.

The floods prompted hospital management to shut down the outpatient department to allow cleaning and repair.

More than 1,000 patients a day seek treatment from the outpatient department in San Lazaro Hospital.

Patient Divine Dellomos said that she was hoping to get a checkup.

“I really want to have my stomach checked to know what to do, and what procedure I need for my stomach,” Dellomos said in Filipino.

Even the animal bite center was shut down. Apollo Mallari had brought his daughter with him for an anti-rabies shot.

“We thought that there was some personnel because this is a hospital. We just have to go back tomorrow,” he said.

Dante Federizo, whose grandchild also needed anti-rabies vaccination, said that they had come all the way from Quezon City.

“It is saddening because they are a government facility. They should really have treatment,” Federizo said in Filipino.

Dr. David Suplico, the Medical Center Chief of San Lazaro Hospital, apologized and asked for patience. He said that the emergency room remains open for emergency cases.

While the hospital is almost done with cleanup operations, it now has to deal with fixing the wiring that got drenched.

“Our roof was leaking. The rain got in. Our lights are now flickering because it was hit by water, so we needed to shut it down,” Suplico said.

Manila Disaster Risk Reduction Office Director Arnel Angeles said that the area where San Lazaro Hospital was situated did not flood before. Around three weeks of rainwater was dumped in two hours.

“There is a creek at the end of Quericada Street, where San Lazaro hospital is, the Estero de San Lazaro. This was choked with water because of the strength and volume of the rain,” Angeles said.

It was not just the San Lazaro Hospital whose outpatient department shut down because of the foul weather, but the Ospital ng Manila and Santa Ana Hospital as well. Services will continue by Wednesday. — Jean Mangaluz/BM, GMA News