MARIVELES, Bataan — Mayor Jocelyn Castaneda on Monday denied alleged report of harassment on personnel of the Mariveles Mental Wellness General Hospital (MMWGH), formerly the Mariveles Mental Hospital.
She admitted that there was panic among residents on the night of March 26, 2020 when, unknown to them, some patients with Covid–19 were transferred to said hospital from New Clark City.
“Misunderstanding ang nangyari dahil hindi kami nasabihan at maging ang Barangay Poblacion kung saan nandoon ang ospital. No prior information kasi kaya nagpanic ang mga tao,” Castaneda said.
But after receiving assurance from the chief of the hospital that the Covid–19 patients were properly isolated and the staff well protected, she said, their fear was erased.
Dr. Lourdes Evangelista, MMWGH chief, assured the public that the patients suffering from mild to moderate Covid–19 were under strict protocol guidelines and local transmission was farfetched.
“Restricted ang patients namin at ang mga staff namin ay limited ang ginagalawan at suot ang PPE sa kanilang duty,” she said.
Evangelista said the five patients were transferred from New Clark City to the Mariveles hospital because the Jose Lingad Memorial Hospital in San Fernando, Pampanga and Bataan General Hospital in Balanga City were already full.
The mayor said she could not blame village chairmanFrancisco delos Reyes, Jr. for placing barricade on his own volition at the gate of the hospital on the day they learned of the transfer of Covid–19 patients.
Castaneda said the panic and barricade was only for a day but like in other towns, enhanced community quarantine was strictly followed in the municipality.
Angel Ortiz Luis, Bataan capitol information officer, said Mariveles police has assured that security concern of the hospital and employees will be attended to. She said the misunderstanding was ironed out on the same day.
