MANILA, Philippines — Staff of the Pasig City Children’s Hospital (PCCH) will be trained to treat “moderate” COVID-19 patients to help ease the load of The Medical City (TMC), which attends to severe cases of the highly infectious illness in the city.
In a Department of Health virtual presser on Sunday, TMC President Dr. Eugene Ramos said they will partner with PCCH to train medical staff and provide advice on handling COVID-19 cases.
“Importante na kahit na moderate na cases sa children’s hospital, importante na may abilidad at paghahanda ang ospital at staff na pwedeng magiging severe at this time,” Ramos said.
(It is important that even if these are moderate cases, it is important that the hospital and its staff have the capacity and preparation to deal with cases that may turn into severe cases.)
“’Yung team tuturuan. ‘Yung lahat ng ginagawa namin on ventilation, how to intubate, and what are the things to be prepared. Para this week handa na kami,” he added.
(The team will be trained. We will be teaching them on ventilation, how to intubate, and what are the things to be prepared. So that this week we will be ready.)
Ramos said this development came after Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto identified PCCH as a designated hospital to take care of COVID-19 patients during a meeting with hospital directors.
Ramos said PCCH currently has 68 hospital beds, 12 intensive care units, and 21 brand new ventilators.
Ramos added that PCCH, however, needs more staff as it mostly has pediatricians, who are not trained to handle COVID-19 cases.
“Kulang sila staffing siyempre maraming pediatrician. Clearly, itong pedia illipat sa ibang Pasig hospitals,” he said.
(They have insufficient staffing of course because they mostly have pediatricians. Clearly, the pediatricians will be assigned in other Pasig hospitals.)
As of Sunday afternoon, the Philippines has 3,246 people infected with COVID-19, including 152 deaths and 64 recoveries.
For most people, COVID-19 causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.