Ilocos Norte hospital seeks donation of medical supplies, equipment

The second field hospital in Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center in Batac City, Ilocos Norte was opened Wednesday. Aug. 18, to address the shortage of beds for COVID-19 patients in the province. (Photo courtesy of the office of Ilocos Norte Rep. Ria Fariñas)

LAOAG CITY—The biggest public hospital in Ilocos Norte province is seeking donations of medical supplies and equipment anew as it opened on Wednesday, Aug. 18, its second makeshift facility to increase its COVID-19 bed capacity.

In a public advisory, the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC) asked for donations of linens for bed sheets and gowns for patients, pillows, nebulizer machines, UltraViolet-C lamps, cleaning materials, garbage cans, and face shields.

The hospital said it also needs chairs and tables, a wooden sofa, water dispenser, stand fans, bar refrigerator, emergency lights, microwave oven, and at least 10 fire extinguishers.

The second temporary facility in MMMH&MC, the primary COVID-19 treatment center in northern Luzon, was built on the hospital parking lot amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in the province.

“We hope that this field hospital in MMMH&MC would be able to address the shortage of hospital beds for patients, especially for those who require hospital treatment due to COVID-19,” Ilocos Norte Rep. Ria Fariñas said in a statement on Wednesday. Fariñas funded the makeshift facility.

At least 124 of the 173 COVID-19 beds in the hospital were occupied as of Wednesday.

According to MMMH&MC, 154 of its health workers were in isolation after being infected with the virus.

So far, Ilocos Norte had recorded 12,812 COVID-19 cases, including 4,402 active infections, 8,254 recoveries, and 156 deaths, the provincial government said.

lzb