PH Lung Center appeals for donations as PPE supplies run out

MANILA, Philippines —  The Lung Center of the Philippines appealed for donations of personal protective equipment (PPE) suits as their stocks would run out Monday amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis.

In an interview over dzMM, Dr. Antonio Ramos, head of the Lung Center’s administrative services division, said that doctors are at risk of getting infected by the disease due to the said shortage of PPE and other protective equipment as they tried to “improvise” to make up for the lack of protective gears.

“As of 7 p.m. po last night we only have 98 (suits left). We are seeing at the end of the day, we will have nothing,” Ramos said.

“Ang ginagawa po natin nag-iimprovise. Kaya po nagkakasakit ang mga doctor dahil walang PPE. Kapag nagkasakit ang mga doktor, napakalaking impact po dahil hindi lang isang tao ‘yun kundi isang tao na nag-aalaga sa mga pasyente,” he added.

Aside from PPE suits, the doctor added that they are also in need of isolation gowns.

Those who want to donate may deliver the suit at the donation desk of the Lung Center of the Philippines, he added.

As of Monday, there are 396 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, 33 of whom have died.

The Philippines has been placed under a state of calamity due to the COVID-19, which was first detected in Hubei, China and has so far infected more than 290,000 and killed nearly 13,000 across 186 countries and territories.