The Department of Health (DOH) has advised the use of referral system amid reported full capacity of some hospitals.
“Hindi dapat pasyente ang gumagawa ng paraan kapag ang isang ospital o ang isang facility ay puno na. Ang dapat na gumagawa ng paraan ay ang ospital. Mayroon po tayong batas na nagsasabi na ang bawat indibidwal kapag pumunta po sila sa isang ospital, hindi po sila maaaring tanggihan agad (The hospital and not the patient must find a way in case the hospital or facility hits full capacity. We have a law that says patients must not be rejected by hospitals),” DOH USec. Vergeire clarified.
“Kailangan i-check muna sila, kung sila ay kritikal. Tapos ‘yung ospital ang may responsibilidad para humanap ng pagta-transferan doon sa pasyente kung sakaling puno sila (They must be checked first if they are critical. Then the hospital has responsibility to find where the patient can be transferred),” she added.
Mild and asymptomatic cases are encouraged to head directly to government quarantine facilities. The department also clarified that home isolation is not prohibited as long as homecare checklist is followed to prevent transmission.
The DOH reported that 49 percent of the 14,945 COVID-dedicated beds are occupied by patients. The rate is in the warning zone and the country still has the capacity in terms of critical care resources.
In terms of isolation beds, the NCR has reached the 73.7 percent occupancy rate which is in the danger zone while Regions 3, 4A, 7, 8, 9, and BARMM have hit the warning zones.
The following hospitals have reported full bed capacity: 1. UST Hospital 2. F.Y. Manalo Medical Foundation, Inc. 3. Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center 4. Qualimed Sta. Rosa 5. UPH-Dr. G. Tamayo Medical University Foundation, Inc. 6. Tricity Medical Center 7. Westlake Medical Center 8. Antipolo City Medical Hospital 9. Ortigas Hospital and Healthcare Center, Inc.
As of July 14, there are 57,545 COVID-19 cases, 20,459 recoveries, and 1,603 fatalities nationwide.
– Report Mark Fetalco
