Major Bicol hospital suspends admission of non-COVID-19 patients

LEGAZPI CITY—The Department of Health (DOH) in Bicol on Monday (May 4) agreed to suspend the admission of patients with diseases other than COVID-19 in one of the region’s biggest hospitals to prevent further transmission of SARS Cov2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Dr. Ernie Vera, DOH Bicol chief, said patients with diseases not related to COVID-19 would temporarily not be admitted in Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH).

Vera, who also chairs the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) against COVID-19 in the region, said the move was recommended by the BRTTH COVID-19 Pandemic Advisory Team.

Vera said the measure would let BRTTH focus on screening, testing and management of COVID-19 patients.

The new hospital policy was issued after seven health care workers, including a doctor at BRTTH, were infected by coronavirus and more than 100 hospital employees are on quarantine.

Dr. Butch Rivera, BRTTH chief, in an interview on Monday said disinfection and decontamination are ongoing in the hospital.

The new BRTTH operating guidelines included limiting admissions to emergency cases, those in critical condition and cases needing tertiary care and urgent surgical or obstetrics and gynecology procedures.

Patients with mild and moderate non-respiratory conditions requiring confinement would initially be managed at the emergency room and be transferred to nearest hospitals operated by local government units or endorsed to private hospitals.

The Out Patient Department (OPD) in BRTTH would be temporarily closed to preserve manpower for COVID-19 cases. Services like chemotherapy, dialysis and dispensing of essential medicines would continue.

The hospital’s blood bank and X-ray unit would be operational but ultrasound and CT scan units would be only for urgent cases.

Other services, like non-life threatening cardiac and endoscopic procedures would be available for emergency cases only.

Edited by TSB