Pneumonia patients’ increase prompts CCMC request for more oxygen gauges
THE head of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) has requested for the purchase of additional oxygen gauges following a rise in pneumonia cases since late August.
Dr. Gloria Duterte, CCMC chief, said two pneumonia patients were now sharing one oxygen gauge.
An oxygen gauge is used when pneumonia patients have difficulty in breathing.
Duterte said that as of yesterday they admitted about 90 patients in their pediatrics ward of which about 70 to 75 percent were suffering from pneumonia.
CCMC’s pediatric ward only has a 60-bed capacity.
Duterte, however, said the hospital had extra beds to make sure that the patients wouldn’t crowd in one bed.
“Among accommodate tanan nga mo duol nato kay dili man gyud ta mo balibad ug patients,” Duterte told Cebu Daily News.
Duterte said while dengue admissions at CCMC had already decreased, they were now seeing a rise in pneumonia cases since late August.
Most of the patients are babies aged 1-year-old and below.
Duterte said that parents should be wary of the health condition of their children.
“Posibli gyud nga ma pneumonia ug mag ubo ubo na ang bata unya dili dayon dalhon sa ospital,” she told CDN.
Duterte said pneumonia is a contagious disease that spreads through droplets.
Pneumonia takes a week for recovery, she said.
Duterte said he has requested Councilor Ronald Cuenco, head of the City Council’s health committee, for an emergency purchase of 20 oxygen gauges.
“Gamitan nato ug oxygen gauge ug makutasan na ang pasyente. Pero since gamay ra ang atong oxygen gauge, ato lang i-split ang usa ka gauge sa duha ka pasyente,” she said.
Cuenco said in a separate interview that if only CCMC has a special Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), emergency purchases will not be a problem.
However, he said that the Government Procurement Act prohibits the creation of a special BAC for CCMC.
With the prohibition, purchases for all city hall departments, including that of CCMC, go through the city hall BAC.
Cuenco said he intends to seek the help of Reps. Tomas Osmeña (south district) and Rachel del Mar (north district) for the amendment of the government procurement act to allow the creation of special BACs. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac
