Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, IATF-EID Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Deputy Chief Implementer of the IATF’s National Action Plan Against COVID-19 and BCDA President Vince Dizon, Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega, DPWH Undersecretary Emil Sadain and MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim lead the inauguration of the One Hospital Command Center, established at the MMDA Headquarters in Makati City. MMDA PIO
MANILA, Philippines — The government’s One Hospital Command Center opened in Makati City on Thursday to monitor the capacity of the country’s hospitals in treating coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients.
“Through the One Health Command, kina-capacitate natin yung health capacity. Dinadagdagan natin yung ICU (intensive care unit) beds para ma-address natin yung admission ng different hospitals sa mga severe at critical COVID cases,” (Through the One Health Command, we are capacitating the health capacity. We are adding more ICU beds to accommodate the severe and critical COVID cases that are being admitted to the different hospitals) National Task Force (NTF) COVID-19 chief implementer Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. said in a press conference during the launch of the command center in Makati City.
Galvez added that the center will monitor the capacity of all public and private hospitals in the country.
“Instead na magkaroon ng separate command center ang DOH (Department of Health) at NTF, binuo natin ang isang command center para maisama rin yung ibang private hospitals,” he said.
(Instead of having separate command centers for the DOH and the NTF, we opened this command center so that other private hospitals can also be included.)
In the same press briefing, Health chief Francisco Duque III said the command center, which is established at the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Headquarters in Makati City, will be a “seamless integration of hospital care delivery system.”
Duque said huge screens were put up at the center to view the occupancy of hospitals in the country.
Health Undersecretary Leopold Vega, meanwhile, said the center will also be used to “identify ready hospitals that can accommodate for intensive care or rooms for moderate cases.”
Dr. Bernadette Velasco of DOH said hospitals may contact the command center through downloading the mobile application Pureforce Citizens.
She said the command center may also be reached through contact numbers 0919-977-3333, 0915-777-7777 and (02) 88650500.
MMDA ready to help
MMDA chairman Danny Lim said MMDA personnel are ready to assist the government in the operations of the command center.
“Marami tayong maitutulong sa initiative na ito. Wala tayong problema sa tao. Although, we have a share of problems, may mga tao din tayo sa MMDA na tinamaan, nagpositive pero we have been addressing that effectively,” he said.
(We can give a lot of help for this initiative. We don’t have a problem for people. Although, we have a share of problems, we have no problem with our workers. Although we have a share of problems, we have some infected, turned positive for COVID-19 but we have been addressing that effectively.)
Lim said the MMDA which has almost 8,000 personnel, is currently operating with a skeleton workforce amid the pandemic.