DOH-6 to Review COVID Bed Capacity of Bacolod Hospitals

The Department of Health (DOH-6) Regional Office, upon the request of Mayor Evelio Leonardia, will review the bed capacity of hospitals in Bacolod City that is supposed to be dedicated for COVID-19 patients.

During a virtual meeting yesterday, Leonardia and City Administrator Em Ang underscored the importance of enforcing the DOH guidelines for hospitals in catering to COVID patients in the city.

Ang pointed out that some hospitals in the city reportedly refuse to accept COVID patients, citing full bed capacity.

However, the data provided by DOH-6 during the same meeting shows the availability of hospital beds allocated for COVID patients.

Leonardia then appealed to DOH-6, being the regulatory body, to address the issue on the reported refusal of admission of COVID-19 patients.

“This is a matter of life and death,” the mayor stressed.

“This is so serious and critical. This is one of the areas we would need your support,” Leonardia told the DOH, as he emphasized that the City will be coordinating with DOH-6 as regards this issue.

In response, DOH-6 regional director Dr. Marlyn Convocar said that there is a DOH issuance prohibiting refusal of COVID patients for admission.

“We will try to meet these chiefs of hospitals, review their dedicated beds to COVID, and see to it that these number of beds are really complied with,” the regional director said.

She added that refusing to admit COVID patients despite having available beds will have a bearing in the licensing requirements of the hospitals in the future.

“We will send a letter from our end immediately tomorrow to all the level 2 and 3 hospitals in Bacolod City,” Convocar said.

“We will reiterate that (issuance), and review really the dedicated beds for COVID. We will still monitor the compliance to the order,” she added.

Meanwhile, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, chair of the city’s Inter-Agency Task Force, raised to the group concerns on data privacy of the patients, and information dissemination for the public.

Congressman Greg Gasataya, on the other hand, suggested the creation of a monitoring system on the number of COVID cases in every hospital.

The Bacolod City Health Office presented updates on the situation of the city amid the pandemic, while the DOH-6 gave recommendations in handling the COVID crisis.

Also joining the meeting were Councilor Cindy Rojas, who chairs the Action Team on Returning Residents; Councilor Archie Baribar, chair of the Exit Planning Team; DOH-6 chief for infectious diseases Dr. Mary Jane Juanico, DOH-6 project development officer Ben Arnel Dela Cruz, and Dr. Anna Maria Laarni Pornan of the City Health Office.* (CITY PIO)