ILOILO City – This city and Iloilo province have no confirmed novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infections but local authorities are not leaving anything to chance.
They have started scouting for areas that could serve as isolation facilities for nCov patients.
The La Paz Maternity and Reproductive Health Center may be utilized as an isolation facility for suspected and confirmed cases, according to Mayor Jerry Treñas.
The Office of Civil Defense in Western Visayas, too, is also open to making its regional evacuation centers as isolation facilities, he added.
On the other hand, the provincial government of Iloilo has identified the Dr. Ricardo Y. Ladrido Memorial District Hospital (DRYLMDH) in Lambunao town as an nCoV isolation facility.
Iloilo provincial government’s Hospital Management Office chief Dr. Cynthia Cabangal-Ng said DRYLMDH currently has six isolation units and is capable of providing extension rooms.
“We can transfer all patients of the Lambunao hospital to other district hospitals. DRYLMDH will then be dedicated to suspected nCoV cases only,” she said.
Hospital personnel who will handle the patients will undergo training on self-protection, according to Ng.
Meanwhile, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said the provincial government is now accelerating the purchase of protective gears for use of hospital personnel as well as additional thermal scanners.
The governor also appealed for donations of hospital equipment from the private sector.
In Iloilo City, Mayor Treñas is creating an nCoV task force with Dr. Roland Fortuna, medical officer of the City Health Office, as chief.
The task force will be composed of representatives from the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6, hotel and restaurants, malls, barangay councils, and the Department of Education (DepEd) Region 6.
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) advised local government units (LGUs) to create their respective coronavirus task forces to help contain the spread of the disease.
“With the declaration of the World Health Organization of a global health emergency, Secretary Eduardo Año directed all LGUs to be on a state of preparedness and take all pro-active steps. Create task forces to implement DOH protocols and guidelines and extend full cooperation to the DOH and other government agencies,” said DILG undersecretary and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya.
He said the local task force under the direct leadership of the governor or mayor shall ensure that local health authorities have the necessary equipment and protective gadgets such as masks, goggles, gowns, gloves, among others.
The task force should also cause the referral and transport of an nCov suspect to a DOH-designated coronavirus-referral center or hospital, in coordination with DOH and police authorities.
Malaya said local chief executives must also train their respective health workers on nCov prevention, containment, and control, in coordination with the DOH./PN
