BUTUAN CITY, April 13 -- In a bid to safeguard the welfare of all
Caraganons during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, all governors
in Caraga Region have been requested to urge all their Sanggunians to pass a
resolution supporting the immediate establishment of a molecular laboratory in
the Caraga Regional Hospital (CRH) to serve as a COVID-19 testing and screening
center for the Caraga Region.
This is the response of the Chairperson of the Regional Task Force for
COVID-19 One Caraga Shield, Agusan del Norte Governor Dale B. Corvera, to the
appeal of Agusan del Norte Rep. Lawrence “Law” Fortun to collectively lobby for
this proposal as part of a nationwide measure for mass testing.
Gov. Corvera also said that the mayors in Agusan del Norte have already
been advised to join the call by passing resolutions pushing for the said
COVID-19 testing and screening center.
The call to equip and capacitate the CRH to become a testing and
screening center in Caraga Region gained public support in social media
following the statement aired by Rep. Fortun urging the Department of Health to
put up the facility and appealing to governors, mayors and representatives to
collectively call upon the health department to promptly act on the urgent
need.
Rep. Fortun emphasized the importance of having a regional testing and
screening center to enable mass testing in the expansive Caraga Region, which
is composed of five provinces and six cities with several municipalities
remotely situated.
He noted that, at present, obtaining test results for patients from
Caraga is substantially delayed as collected specimens still have to be brought
to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Davao City which is
already swamped with the demands of the Davao region alone. He said that having
a COVID-19 testing and screening facility in the CRH will not only ensure
faster results but also effectively reduce the burden and backlog of the
already overwhelmed SPMC.
“While there is still only one confirmed case in Caraga, the number of
PUIs (Patients Under Investigation) is continuously rising, and recent rapid
tests revealed several presumptive positive cases needing immediate
confirmatory tests. There is no way we can determine the real numbers unless we
pursue mass testing. This also gives our health care system a clear direction
on immediate and appropriate interventions to be made,” Fortun said. (Lawig
Katawhan/PIA Agusan del Norte)
COVID-19 HCMT tracks
health facilities in Caraga
BUTUAN CITY, April 13 -- The Hospital Compliance Monitoring Team (HCMT)
of the Department of Health (DOH) Caraga continues to monitor the status of all
level 2 hospitals in the region capable of managing patients under
investigation (PUIs) or COVID-19 patients.
Prior to the declaration of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in
the region, the HCMT has already identified and tallied health facilities who
have met the minimum requirements and can cater to possible COVID-19 patients.
Some of the requirements include isolation beds and mechanical ventilators.
There are two (2) local public hospitals identified: D.O.P. Memorial
Hospital in Agusan del Sur, and Butuan Medical Center in Butuan City; while,
there are six (6) private hospitals recognized: Butuan Puericulture Center,
Manuel J. Santos Hospital and Butuan Doctors Hospital in Butuan City, San
Francisco Doctors Hospital, Inc. in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur, St. Paul
Surigao University Hospital, Inc. in Surigao City and Andres Soriano Memorial
Hospital Cooperative in Bislig City. Likewise, Caraga Regional Hospital in
Surigao City and Adela Serra Ty Memorial Medical Center in Tandag City are
managed by the Department of Health. These listed hospitals have been noted by
the Regional Inter-Agency COVID Task Force “One Caraga Shield” where Local
Chief Executives (LCEs) are members. It was also emphasized that because these
hospitals have passed the Level 2 accreditation, these hospitals should be
equipped in handling infectious cases such as the current viral threat.
Hence, there should be no refusals from the hospitals mentioned.
“We created the HCMT long before the ECQ was imposed because we wanted
to constantly check the capacity and needs of both public and private level 2
hospitals in the region,” said DOH Caraga Regional Director Dr. Jose R.
Llacuna, Jr.
In the case of surge capacity, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council (RDRRMC) has disseminated the Regional Contingency Plan
where all health facilities are required to put in place their own contingency
plan, in which, most of the concerns are on human complement and resources.
“Let us all be ready in case surge happens. In the meantime, we assure
the Caraganons that DOH Caraga is in constant communication with the designated
health facilities and provide them the necessary assistance,” the Dr. Llacuna
stressed.
DOH Caraga also appeals to the public to report immediately to the
regional office via the DOH Helplines: 09482241857 (Smart) and 09453592632
(Globe) any related complaints. (DOH Caraga/PIA Caraga)
