Hospitals challenged as health workers also infected with COVID-19

The head of the Philippine College of Physicians on Wednesday said that among the challenges they have been experiencing at present is that the healthcare workers are among those being infected with COVID-19 amid the recent spike in the number of cases. 

In a Dobol B sa TV interview, Limpin said this is because of the huge exposure of medical personnel to COVID-19 patients. She said those infected include not just nurses but also technicians and drivers of ambulances.

"Kung pagdating ho sa pagkalunod dahil sa by number ng pagdating ng pasyente ay kaya pa ho namin. Medyo nagiging problema po ngayon, marami din pong healthcare workers ang according to the report of different hospitals ang affected ho sa kanilang mga onsite staff po nila," Limpin said.

(We can still manage the patients. However, the problem we are encountering is that many of our healthcare workers are also infected with COVID-19.)

Understaffed

Filipino Nurses United vice president Eleanor Nolasco said they received reports that some emergency wards and outpatient departments are already understaffed.

"Ang mga health workers ay naaapektuhan na rin nitong pagtaas ng mga kaso ng infections. Sila mismo ay nagkakasakit na rin," Nolasco said in a separate Dobol B sa TV interview.

(Our health workers are also affected as they also contract the virus.)

Nolasco said health workers should undergo regular testing and be subjected to quarantine for at least five days after their duty.

"Dapat readily available ang testing. Noon pa man 'yun na ang panawagan namin," Nolasco said.

(Testing should be available. This has been our call since the beginning.)

Meanwhile, despite the rise in infections, Limpin said the present situation is not as worse as the situation last year whenever there was a surge in cases. She also said not all infected individuals are flocking to the hospitals.

"Talagang ganoon ho ang mangyayari ngayon, pami-pamilya ang dumadating ho sa amin either sa ospital. Marami naman ho ang nagtatawag na lang, teleconsult no? So 'yun lang ang medyo maganda, madami naman ho ang 'di basta-basta pumupunta ng ospital. 'Yung may edad ho, 'di natin maiwasan na talagang pupunta at pupunta sila," Limpin said.

(The scenario now is that families are going to hospitals. But other patients are availing of the teleconsult. That's actually the good thing. The elderlies, however, personally go to hospitals.)

The Philippines on Tuesday posted 5,434 additional coronavirus disease infections, raising the Philippines' total tally to 2,861,119. —KG, GMA News