ILOILO City – The Department of Health (DOH) approved the establishment of the Iloilo City Modular Hospital in Barangay Sooc, Arevalo district.
The city was just waiting for the emergency fund from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), according to Mayor Jerry Treñas.
The modular hospital would “enhance our service” amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, said Treñas.
The mayor said he already discussed the undertaking with secretaries Mark Villar (Department of Public Works and Highways) and Francsico Duque III (DOH).
The modular hospital, to rise near the Sooc Quarantine Facility, will have 66 beds (three units, 22 beds per unit).
Treñas said this temporary hospital seeks to address this city’s high health care utilization rate (HCUR) considering that hospitals here also cater to patients from five provinces in Panay Island.
Based on the latest monitoring of DOH-6, Iloilo City’s HCUR was high risk at 78.03 percent.
“The temporary medical facility will help lower our quarantine classification, and assist our patients while they recover from the deadly virus,” he added.
For the modular hospital, the city government will provide logistics and human resources and has partnered with The Medical City Iloilo to manage the facility for mild to moderate cases.
An additional 32-bed isolation facility will also be built in front of the existing one, said Treñas./PN
