CABANATUAN CITY – The Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center (PJGMRMC) temporarily closed on Monday, until further notice, its outpatient department (OPD) as Covid-19 patients from various Central Luzon provinces and the National Capital Region continue to arrive via one hospital command center.
As of Monday, PJGMRMC, a Covid-19 referral center had at least 73 patients out of 120 beds allocated to infected individuals per Department of Health, according to hospital director Dr. Hubert Lapuz.
Aside from patients from Bulacan and Pampanga municipalities, those coming from Malabon, Makati, and Pasig have started to populate its Covid ward, Lapuz said, noting that Central Luzon tends to absorb overflowing patients from Metro Manila because of its proximity to the country’s capital.
The PJGMRMC may adjust to 200 its Covid-19 beds but is faced by another problem. “We are already within 150 percent on our non-Covid patients,” Lapuz said.
By temporarily closing their OPD, Lapuz said, they hope to contain the possible spread of the virus within their vicinity.
“Sa dami ng ina-admit namin, ginamit na namin yung tent ng triad sa outpatient saka baka mahawa pa yung mga pupuntang outpatient,” the official explained.
He stressed though that emergency patients, as well as those getting chemotherapy and OPD cancer patients, can receive continuous services.
“Yung sa magpapakonsulta lang mayroon kaming tinatawag na telehealth kung saan pwede silang kumunsulta at tutulungan sila ng aming mga duktor online,” Lapuz added.
He admitted that medical frontliners are already feeling the exhaustion. “Sa tagal na nito. Mahigit isang taon na. Kaya lang talagang ito’y sinumpaan ng manggagawa ng kalusugan, obligadong gawin ang lahat,” Lapuz said.
