DOH: 40 health facilities damaged by bad weather

Inquirer file photo

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 40 health facilities across the country were partially damaged following the onslaught of Supertyphoon Carina and the southwest monsoon, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

In a radio interview on Sunday, Albert Domingo, spokesperson for the DOH, said that of the damaged health facilities, 18 were barangay health stations, 14 were hospitals, seven were units and one was a regional office of the agency.

READ: Carina, habagat and a tropical depression killed 28 people – NDRRMC

Despite this, Domingo said the DOH was able to comply with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to provide primary care services to those affected by the calamity, especially those staying in evacuation centers.

According to the DOH, a total of 5,159 consultations on various health concerns were already conducted in evacuation centers.

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa earlier projected a surge of leptospirosis cases and put health facilities in Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Central Luzon, and Ilocos Regions under “Code Blue” alert status on July 25.

Herbosa also ordered the release of “Campolas” Plus kits to evacuation centers containing the antibiotics cotrimoxazole and amoxicillin, mefenamic acid, paracetamol, oral rehydration salts, Lagundi tablets, hypertension drug losartan and skin ointment. —Dexter Cabalza