Medical doctors have expressed support for the government’s plan to distribute homecare packages to asymptomatic and mild-case covid-19 patients amid the high utilization rate of hospitals and facilities.
Dr. Patrick Moral, a fellow of the Philippine College of Physicians, said in a media briefing on April 27 that the move will be “very useful” in decongesting hospitals and in saving beds for patients with serious symptoms.
“Because the critical [patients] will be admitted to the ICU [intensive care units], the severe will be the ones who will probably need the hospitalization,” Moral added.
The Department of Health (DOH) said it is now organizing the distribution system for the homecare packages, which will include vitamins, medicines, a thermometer, oximeter, and instructions and emergency hotline numbers.
“For everything that we actually procure, ang DOH Central, we give it to the regional offices, and the regional offices have coordinators that work with the LGUs [local government units], so LGUs lang din talaga ang interface namin,” Dr. Beverly Ho of the DOH Health Promotion Bureau said.
The occupancy rate of ICUs in the National Capital Region was 71% or at a high risk level on April 26. On April 27, it went down to 69% or moderate risk level.
The DOH has been adding additional beds to hospitals to augment their capacity. However, the Philippine Hospital Association (PHA) explained that hospitals are also experiencing manpower shortages due to infections among health workers.
“Isang taon nang talagang pagod na pagod na sila. ‘Pag dumadami nagkakasakit sa kanila, kahit ‘yung ospital maraming bed dahil bumaba naman ‘yung non-covid admissions, ‘di sila makapag-admit dahil kakaunti ‘yung mga nurses nila,” PHA President Dr. Jaime Almora pointed out.
Almora also proposed to make rapid antigen kits commercially available for the early detection and immediate isolation of patients. – Report from Mark Fetalco/AG-jlo
