Four private hospitals in Baguio City have temporarily stopped accepting COVID-19 patients after reaching full capacity of beds dedicated for patients of the disease.
Saint Louis University Hospital of the Sacred Heart first declared that its COVID-19 beds have reached full capacity. It was followed by Baguio Medical Center, Pines City Doctor’s Hospital, and Notre Dame de Chartres Hospital.
“Naiintindihan naman natin na itong mga private hospitals natin ay financially constrained at this time… Naiintindihan natin na hindi talaga pwedeng mag-expand, na hanggang doon na lang talaga ang kanilang limit din (We understand that our private hospitals are financially constrained at this time… We understand that they cannot expand and they have their limit),” City Health Officer Dr. Rowena Galpo said.
Currently, only Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center has the capacity to accept COVID-19 patients. Authorities are now working on increasing the capacity of community isolation facilities for asymptomatic, mild, and moderate cases.
“Medyo i-upgrade natin, i-equip natin itong mga isolation facilities, on the long term ‘yan… Marami tayong ihahanda para rito, para ma-decongest ang mga hospitals (We can upgrade and equip our isolation facilities in the long term… We will prepare a lot to decongest our hospitals),” Galpo disclosed.
Based on the latest data of the City Health Services Office, there are over 1,000 active cases in the city, 134 deaths, and almost 7,000 recoveries. – Report from Jorton Campana/PTV Cordillera/AG-JBB
