MANILA – As the country grapples to halt
the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), provincial hospitals must be
prepared and equipped for possible patients of the dreaded illness.
Former Health Secretary and 1st district Rep. Janette Garin of Iloilo made this
statement as Western Visayas registered its second COVID-19 case courtesy of a 65-year-old
male from Guimbal town.
“We need to prepare the provinces because we expect to have patients there,”
Garin said in a statement.
“Ngayon naman, ang ating karagdagang
panawagan ay bago pa man dumami ang COVID-19 cases sa mga probinsya, maigi ng ihanda na natin yung ating mga
Sanitarium Hospitals na noon ay na-convert
na sa General Hospitals,” she added.
Garin has proposed at least nine hospitals that should be designated to treat
patients of the disease namely West Visayas Sanitarium; Bicol Sanitarium; Culion
Hospital Palawan; Eversly Hospital Cebu; Mindanao Central Sanitarium; Sulu
Sanitarium; Cotabato Sanitarium; Labuan Public Hospital Zamboanga; and
Schistomiasis Hospital Leyte.
The Department of Health has earlier designated Philippine General Hospital and
Jose Rodriguez Memorial (Tala) Hospital as hospitals that may cater to COVID-19
patients.
“Kakayanin nating lampasan ang pagsubok
na ito sa mabilis na aksyon at pagtutulungan ng bawat isa,” the Ilongga
lawmaker said./PN
