Help! Laguna hospital staffers wear improvised garbage bags due to lack of PPEs

MANILA, Philippines — To be able to protect themselves against possible transmission of COVID-19, the medical staff at a hospital in Laguna resorted to “para-paraan” or the Filipino resourcefulness and ingenuity by using plastic bags as their personal protective suit while waiting for assistance from the Department of Health (DOH).

In a Facebook post, Tes Depano, medical record officer of St. Jude Family Hospital, appealed for assistance from the Department of Health and other agencies to supply their frontliners with medical equipment.

“We are calling the attention of DOH [Department of Health] or kung sino mang ahensya na maaaring makapag-supply sa amin ng Personal Protective (Equipment or PPE),” Depano wrote.

(We are calling the attention of the Department of Health or any agency that would help supply personal protective equipment.)

Depano shared photos of medical staff clad in black garbage bags as an alternative for the laboratory gown and a yellow plastic mask for their respirator.

In a phone interview with INQUIRER.net on Monday, Depano said they have no PPEs.

“Wala pa po, as in wala, kasi ang binigay ng municipal health office, dalawa lang yun, tapos disposable pa,” she said when asked how many PPEs are available in their hospital.

(There are no PPEs. Nothing. Because the Municipal Health Office only gave us two disposable PPEs.)

The hospital has 15 medical personnel per shift who are tasked to handle cases of critically-ill patients, Depano said.

DOH said health workers treating patients with coronavirus disease should wear PPEs which include gowns, gloves, disposable N95 respirator and eye protection.

For those interested in helping the health workers in St. Jude Family Hospital, they may call the following hotlines: (049)5361232 and  (049)5361982.