THE LOCAL government and its agency partners opened on Friday the first 24/7 COVID-19 Cluster Clinic at Doña Vicenta Village, Bajada further enhancing the city’s response to the evolving coronavirus pandemic.
The 24-hour Doña Vicenta Village COVID-19 Cluster Clinic is the first of eight clinics to be opened by the city government to provide free services for all virus-related concerns. It will start serving Davaoeños today.
The COVID-19 Clinic starts serving Dabawenyos on Monday, Dec. 6.
Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio spearheaded the opening of the COVID-19 clinic as she was joined by representatives from partner agencies and Heather Variava, the Chargé d’ Affaires, ad interim of the U.S. Embassy Manila.
The city government has partnered with Reach Health-U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for the realization of the COVID-19 Cluster Clinic.
In an interview on Bida Bakunado Radio Program over the Davao City Disaster Radio
Dr. Michelle Schlosser, the COVID-19 Task Force spokesperson, said in an interview over the Davao City Disaster Radio that the clinic is a one-stop-site offering free contact tracing, consultation and medicine, swab test, quarantine or isolation, transportation, and food for suspected, probable, or confirmed COVID-19 cases.
“Tanan-tanang serbisyo related to COVID-19 management is already there, all will be provided sa atong patients (All services related to COVID-19 management is there. All will be provided to our patients),” Schlosser said.
She added that the close contacts of COVID-19 positive and persons with COVID-19 related symptoms or those with influenza-like-illness (ILIs) can also be assessed in the COVID Cluster Clinic.
“Wala ni siya’y limitation sa patients. We have enough doctors to address their concerns. (The clinic does not limit in terms of the number of patients. We have enough doctors to address their concerns),” Schlosser said.
The clinic will also utilize telemedicine that people can consult and communicate with doctors on COVID-related matters in the safety of their homes.
The opening of the first clinic is only a part of the commitment of the mayor, who, in August, bared the city’s plan to establish cluster clinics to enhance the services of the city health districts that have been functioning for both COVID-related and regular health programs.
Duterte said the establishment of the COVID-19 Cluster Clinics addresses the need to further boost the city’s response to COVID without affecting its regular health services.
