THERE is hardly any room to accommodate the rapidly growing number of infected patients and for that reason, the government mulls on putting up more makeshift facilities just for them.
To accommodate COVID-19 patients who can no longer be admitted in hospitals due to overcapacity, National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 spokesperson Retired Major General Restituto Padilla said several modular facilities have already been built within hospitals.
In addition to what is already available, Padilla said that the Department of Public Works and Highways will set up more modular wards if only to make sure that all patients are accommodated.
“Dito sa Quezon City makikita natin meron nang ibang itinayo galing sa DPWH. May mga itinayo na ginagamit ay mga container vans. Modular ‘yan. ‘Yung iba naman na mabilisan ay mga tent. Ito ay bilang karagdagan doon sa mga kinakailangang pasilidad na kailangan idagdag sa mga ospital na panay punuan na. May iba na nakatayo. May susunod pang itatayo ang ating pamahalaan at ang lead dito ay ang DPWH,” Padilla was quoted in an interview.
The government pandemic task force spokesperson said that modular tents would be set up at the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRRMMC), Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital and Sanitarium (Tala), Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center, Tondo Medical Center, National Center for Mental Health, Lung Center of the Philippines, National Kidney and Transplant Institute and the San Lazaro Hospital.
The Philippine Hospital Association, said Wednesday that hospitals are already “overwhelmed and overran” in light of the surge in COVID-19 cases mainly due to their depleted and overworked manpower.