3 medical facilities eyed to receive COVID patients

The Davao City government is eyeing three private medical facilities to receive people positive with the coronavirus if there is a surge of cases in the city.

Mayor Inday Sara Duterte on Monday said the city government has already reached out to these medical facilities to be on “stand by” if the facilities of the Southern Philippine Medical center (SPMC) would no longer be enough to cater to an increasing number of patients with the coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). She, however, would not still name the medical facilities.

“Gihimo na nato silang reserved COVID-19 private hospitals. Meaning giingnan na nato sila na selected na sila to be a COVID-19 hospital in the event nga magkulang ang facility sa SPMC, they will be asked to open as a COVID-19 private hospital (We have made them as reserved COVID-19 private hospitals. Meaning, we have selected them to be COVID-19 hospitals in the event the SPMC facilities will not be enough),” she said.

Mayor Sara earlier asked private medical facilities not to receive patients with coronavirus to avoid contamination of their facility and health workers, instead, refer them to the SPMC as the only hospital to receive patients with coronavirus.

“Gamiton ba nato sila? We do not know. Kinahanglan ba nato sila at this point? Dili pa. Ginaingnan ta pirme sa mga doctors nga (Should we use them? I do not know. Do we need them at this point? Not yet. We have been advised by doctors that) we prepare for a worst case scenario so that is why we need to do this,” Mayor Sara said.

As to the medical expenses of those who will be admitted at the private hospitals, Mayor Sara said the mandate of the naitonal government as to coronavirus patients will be followed.

“Unahon ang PhilHealth because dunay mandate ang PhilHealth nga sila first ang mobayad up to the level sa kaya sa Philhealth (PhilHealth has this mandate that they pay first up to the level that they can cover). Then after that, it will be discussed between the private hospital and the government,” she added.

A surge of cases is expected after the city government intensified case finding and random testing.

As of April 27, there are 108 COVID-19 cases, 19 deaths and 57 recovered patients in Davao City.CIO