SP wants R1MC as COVID-19 hospital
THE Sangguniang Panlalawigan passed a resolution last week strongly urging the national Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) and the Department of Health to convert the Region 1 Medical Center as a “dedicated COVID-19 hospital for the province of Pangasinan.”
Authored by Fourth District Board Member Jeremy Agerico Rosario, chair of the SP committee on health, the resolution took note of the fact that R1MC is a DOH-retained hospital located in Dagupan City, overwhelmed today by increasing number of COVID-19 patients along with the 14 provincial government-run hospitals, including other private hospitals in the province.
Most of the COVID-19 patients being admitted at R1MC are from various towns and cities of Pangasinan, including Dagupan City.
Two weeks ago, R1MC closed its Outpatient Department and other departments and converted these into additional COVID-19 wards to serve the surging number of COVID-19 patients in the province.
Meanwhile, Dr. Anna de Guzman, provincial health officer, told the SP during its Question Hour last September 6 that all the 14 provincial government-run hospitals were overwhelmed with patients, citing the occupancy of 324 (81%) of the 400 dedicated beds for COVID-19 patients as of September 5.
At the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital in San Carlos City, 81 COVID-19 patients were on waitlist to be admitted and were temporarily staying in tents located in front of the hospital’s emergency room.
Saying that the situation in Pangasinan is getting precarious, De Guzman revealed that the PPH gymnasium was already converted as additional isolation wards for COVID-19 patients,
According to Dr. De Guzman, PPH lacks doctors and nurses, an arrangement between PPH and R1MC was already formed that will allow PPH to avail of the services of R1MC’s internist, surgeon and anesthesiologist should it become necessary.
To address the emergency situation, and to decongest some of the provincial government hospitals of COVID-19 patients, the PHO has begun transferring patient that have recovered needing to complete their 14-day quarantine to the half-way facilities in Sta. Barbara and Burgos towns.
The Sta. Barbara facility is intended to accommodate patients from both the PPH and the Urdaneta District Hospital and the facility in Burgos is intended for patients of the Western Pangasinan District Hospital in Alaminos City.
Another halfway facility is being planned by the provincial government for patients of the Eastern Pangasinan District Hospital while PDRRMC chief Rhodyn Luchinvar Oro said the provincial government has requested the Department of Public Works and Highways to build a modular hospital for COVID-19 patients in Pangasinan. (Leonardo Micua)
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