PRIVATE hospitals in the city have started to open their doors for COVID-19 patients once again as the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) reported being “overwhelmed” with the surge of COVID-19 cases.
Dr. Michelle Schlosser, City COVID-19 Task Force spokesperson, during the Bida Bakunado program of 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) aired on Jan. 28, said: “Admittedly, overwhelmed atong SPMC because mao lang man gud atong public hospital in Davao City that caters to COVID-19 cases (Admittedly, SPMC is overwhelmed because it is the only public hospital in Davao City that caters to COVID-19 cases).”
She said private hospitals such as the Davao Doctors Hospital, the San Pedro Hospital, the Brokenshire Hospital, the Metro Davao Medical and Research Center, Inc., and the Anda Riverview Medical Center, Inc., among others, have started catering to COVID-19 patients.
On its official Facebook page, SPMC issued an advisory dated January 21, 2022, that it will only cater mainly to moderate to critical COVID-19 cases “due to the influx of COVID-19 cases that have maximized our hospital beds.”
“Non-COVID-19 cases will only be urgent and emergent cases. We would also like to reiterate that (there will be) no coordinated referrals, no transfer,” the SPMC statement said.
All referrals will have to be coursed through the One Hospital Command Center (OHCC) hotline numbers (Smart) 0961-5798494 or (Globe) 0995-1718407.
As of Jan. 26, 2022, SPMC’s 87 COVID-19 ICU beds and its 455 COVID-19 ward beds were already 100% occupied.
The SPMC has also temporarily closed face-to-face outpatient department (OPD) services and admission of surgical cases as of Jan. 17, 2022. But the OPD teleconsultation will remain open and emergent surgical and urgent cancer cases will still be catered to.
Schlosser said while the surge has overwhelmed SPMC, other hospitals, and city-managed isolation facilities, TTMFs continue to cater to COVID-19 cases. The implementation of home isolation, according to her, also helped in managing the surge of COVID-19 cases in Davao City, which is at 9,973 active cases as of Jan. 27.
“During kasi sa surge, we are permitted to do home isolation. Yes, duna’y pagpuno sa atong TTMFs but we also allow home isolation for those who meet the requirements (During a surge, we are permitted to do home isolation. Yes, our TTMFs are filling up but we also have allowed home isolation for those who meet the requirements),” the city health official said.
She urged Davaoeños to get vaccinated now as the coronavirus is still very much around.
Dr. Schlosser added, “Even in the middle of the surge, wala ta’y vaccination hub na gipang- close because we wanted na makapa-booster ta sa tanang tao sa tanang categories na pwede nato i-booster. Kung kinsa man tong mga wala pa nakapabakuna sa first, sa second, or even sa missed dose, open ang vaccination hubs. Tanan willing mudawat og walk-ins (Especially now, even in the middle of the surge no vaccination hub is closed because we wanted everyone from all allowed categories to get the booster shots. For those who have not yet availed of the first, second, or missed doses, all our vaccination hubs are open. Every hub is accepting walk-ins).”
