DPWH planning dormitories for health workers of major QC hospitals
MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is planning to build temporary dormitories for health workers of some major hospitals in Quezon City.
Undersecretary and head of the DPWH Task Force for Augmentation of Health Facilities Emil Sadain, in his report to DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, identified the Quezon Memorial Circle or the vast grounds of the Veterans Memorial Medical Center as ideal sites of the proposed temporary dormitories.
He said the dormitories will house health workers from East Avenue Medical Center and Philippine Heart Center located in East Avenue; Lung Center of the Philippines and National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon Avenue; and Veterans Memorial Medical Center in North Avenue.
DPWH TO BUILD DORMITORIES FOR COVID-19 FRONTLINERSThe Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) plans to build temporary dormitories that will house health care workers of major hospitals along East Avenue and Quezon Avenue in Quezon City. The establishment of safe and secure temporary physical shelter is muchly needed by hospital workers after a strenuous day at the frontlines of COVID-19. In his report to Secretary Mark A. Villar, Undersecretary and head of DPWH Task Force Head for Augmentation of Health Facilities Emil K. Sadain identified the Quezon Memorial Circle or the wide ground of Veterans Memorial Medical Center as ideal sites of proposed temporary accomodation house for healthcare workers from East Avenue Medical Center and Philippine Heart Center located at East Avenue; Lung Center of the Philippines and National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon Avenue; and Veterans Memorial Medical Center in North Avenue who are all in the fight against this pandemic. Purpose-built dormitories made of collapsible components can be fabricated to temporarily house medical doctors and hospital staff. Undersecretary Sadain said that Dr. Gloanne C. Adolor of the Lung Center of the Philippines has earlier expressed the need to build a place to rest for hospital workers tirelessly serving the healthcare need of patients as there are no longer space available in the hospital. With available place for accomodation, medical personnel need not to travel from hospital to home for a short rest. This is also for the healthcare protection of the family of health workers since they are frequently exposed to patients. Based on the design plans prepared by the DPWH Task Force, a one (1) storey dormitory can have 16 rooms with separate toilet by joining together assembled two (2) 40-foot modular container on both left and right side with the middle space for common dining and separate space for laundry and kitchen area at end. More than providing facilities for accommodation, the off-site dormitories proximate to hospitals will also improve health workers’ ability to adequately monitor the health status of patients. When no longer needed, the temporary dormitories can be disassembled and each of the components can be safely stored by DPWH for other related requirements such temporary shelter during disaster/calamity response.
Posted by Department of Public Works and Highways on Wednesday, May 20, 2020
“With available places for accommodation, medical personnel need not to travel from hospital to home for a short rest. This is also for the protection of the family of health workers since they are frequently exposed to patients,” the DPWH said in a press statement on Thursday.
According to Sadain, Dr. Gloanne Adolor, officer-in-charge for management services of the Lung Center of the Philippines, earlier cited the need to build a facility where hospital workers can rest due to lack of space in hospitals.
“Purpose-built dormitories made of collapsible components can be fabricated to temporarily house medical doctors and hospital staff,” the DPWH said.
Based on design plans prepared by the DPWH Task Force, a one-story dormitory will be composed of 16 rooms with separate toilets by joining together two 40-foot modular containers on both left and right side with the middle space for common dining and separate space for laundry and kitchen area at the end portion.
Aside from providing accommodation, the off-site dormitories near hospitals will also improve health workers capacity to adequately monitor the health status of their patients, according to DPWH.
When the dormitories are longer needed, the DPWH said it can be disassembled and the components can be safely stored by the department for other related facilities such as temporary shelters during disaster or calamity response.
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