Ex-DOH chief suggests converting some gov’t hospitals into full COVID facility

Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / LYN RILLON

MANILA, Philippines — Some government hospitals can be converted into full COVID-19 hospitals to address issues on the scarcity of hospital rooms for COVID-19 patients, former health secretary and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin suggested Wednesday.

Garin said that in order for this to work, however, there should be support from the national government.

“There are some government hospitals that can probably be tweaked into full COVID hospitals, the only problem there is the sustainability of that hospital,” Garin told reporters in an online interview.

“So kung andi-diyan naman yung gobyerno at pagbibigyan sila ng full assistance in terms of the financial aspect eh siguro talagang kinakailangan na ng ibang ospital i-convert na [for] pure covid patients because in that way mas mama-maximize mo ‘yung resources ng isang ospital,” she added.

The rest of the government hospitals that will not be converted into a COVID-19 hospital, meanwhile, will cater to non-COVID-19 patients.

“What it is now, isang hospital eto may COVID ward eto naman non-COVID patients. Sometimes there are beds na di nagagamit,” Garin said.

While Garin believes that the country’s healthcare system has yet to collapse amid the fight against COVID-19, she said the “probability of collapsing is there” should the rise in cases continue.

JPV