By Cindy Ferrer/PNA
ILOILO CITY — Iloilo province’s 12 government-run hospitals were placed on code white alert on Friday in preparation for any health-related incident, which may occur during the Yuletide season.
In an interview Friday, Alberto Cordero, officer-in-charge of the Hospital Management Office (HMO), said they have already directed all the hospitals to be ready so they could provide quick medical response during the holidays.
“All our hospitals are on-call status to ensure the readiness (of the staff). Our personnel, even if they are off-duty should be on standby, in case there will be influx of patients and there is a need for augmentation,” he said.
Cordero said surgeons, anesthesiologists, internists and nurses are to be available anytime.
As much as they do not want any untoward incident to happen, Cordero said preparations would ensure that they deliver well and perform their duties to save lives.
He said the alert status also requires all hospitals to ready equipment and supplies, especially medicine, such as anti-tetanus vaccines and antibiotics for firecracker injuries.
“Our hospitals should also be ready to treat any firecracker injury,” he said.
Cordero said they are targeting zero firecracker-related casualty towards the end of the year until the first days of 2019.
He advised the public, especially parents, to look after their children and encourage them not to light any firecracker to ensure their safety.
He urged them to use alternatives, such as “torotot” or noisemakers, to make sounds when welcoming the New Year.
