ILOILO City – The Regional Inter-Agency Task Force (RIATF) in Western Visayas enjoined local government units (LGUs) to keep their temporary treatment and monitoring facilities (TMMFs) open and on standby despite the region’s classification as “low-risk” in terms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections.
According to Christian Nagaynay, head secretariat of RIATF-6, the role of TTMFs was crucial, especially in the management of COVID-19 cases to decongest hospitals.
He said there were manifestations from their field office regarding the demobilization of TTMFs.
“This is part of our response and with the recommendation of DOH (Department of Health) to remind LGUs. They might get complacent because cases are controlled and we might not see the need this time, but later on,” he said.
The RIATF-6 in a May 2 advisory reminded LGUs of the guidelines for isolation and quarantine of COVID-19 cases.
As of the same date, there were 15,735 TTMF beds in Western Visayas with a utilization rate of 26 percent, DOH data showed.
Nagaynay added that the RIATF has become proactive in reminding LGUs, although there are no reports yet of TTMFs being demobilized.
In terms of ensuring the implementation of health protocols and other measures, Nagaynay said LGUs are given the “extra mile” to identify initiatives as long as they are not contrary to national policy.
Per DOH Department Memorandum 2020-0512, isolation refers to the “separation of sick people with contagious disease” from those who are not sick.
The memorandum added that TTMFs would be used to admit and isolate asymptomatic and mild cases while moderate cases will be isolated in Level 1 or Level 2 hospitals. Severe and critical cases shall be isolated and managed in Level 2 or 3 hospitals.
In a virtual press conference, Dr. Bea Camille Natalaray, section head of the integrated non-communicable diseases prevention and control program of DOH-6, said the region was low in terms of risk classification based on the growth and attack rate per 100,000 population.
Aklan, Antique, and Negros Occidental are low risk while Iloilo City and Capiz are at moderate risk. Guimaras and Iloilo provinces are minimal, while Bacolod City is at high risk.
“The overall classification of Western Visayas is low,” she noted.(PNA)
