Mayor Edwin EdSa Santiago meets with representatives from different hospitals in the city to ask them to reserve rooms in support for the expansion of COVID-19 facilities in San Fernando, April 01, 2020. Also present I the meeting is Dr. Renely Tungol, City Infectious Cluster Program Manager and Incident Commander of Incident Management Team and Ms. Gisel P. Rivera, City Accountant.
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Major hospitals here expressed their support and willingness to collaborate with the city’s ongoing actions for the expansion of COVID-19 facilities.
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Medical Center, Mother Teresa of Calcutta Medical Center, GreenCity Medical Center, and V.L. Makabali Memorial Hospital Inc. are contemplating and preparing their assistance to the local government based on their capacity and manpower.
This, after Mayor Edwin “EdSa” Santiago requested the hospitals to allocate at least 10 rooms each with the necessary infection control measures.
These will house Persons Under Investigation (PUIs) with moderate to severe symptoms.
Further, the city will prioritize the elderly and those with pre-existing diseases. Those PUIs with mild symptoms and in the low-risk bracket will be housed in the other isolation and treatment facilities established in other areas.
In the conference, Santiago encouraged the hospitals to communicate and work hand in hand with one another for the containment of the virus.
“This is the time for us to collaborate, sharing our technology and knowledge. Hindi lang yung payamanan at pagalingan. We are talking here about service and saving lives,” the mayor said.
He also stressed that the local government will address the urgent medical actions and support needed to contain COVID-19.
“I am very much particular sa medical. Di natin uubusin ang pera sa pamimigay ng reliefs. Kung aabot tayo ng anim na buwan sa lockdown, we still have time to plan. Ngayon, if nakabili tayo ng machines and test kits, we can already identify the positive cases. And from there we can start the contact tracing thru our triage system.”
Aside from providing relief goods to Fernandinos, the City is now preparing for procurement of machines and testing kits.
“When we finally found out and isolated those positive cases and PUMs—and treated them—eventually, we can start normalizing. Work will resume, classes will resume, money will again start circulating. Then there is no need for reliefs,” Santiago added.
Meanwhile, Dr. Renely Tungol, City Infectious Cluster Program Manager and Incident Commander of Incident Management Team, reminded Fernandinos of the basic and free of cost protection against COVID-19.
“We continue distancing, sanitation, disinfection and precautions. At this point in time, we really don’t know who the carrier is that’s why we are strengthening them.”
