Mayor Rama says quake-hit CCMC to be demolished, rebuilt

It’s hot, with no comfort room, beds or medical facilities – hardly a place for sick children.

A chapel in barangay Pahina Central serves as a makeshift nursery for 16 of the youngest patients of the quake-damaged Cebu City Medical Center, including seven newborn infants, who have been staying there since the 300-bed hospital was closed for good on Wednesday.

Samantha, seven days old, lay on a table as her father Mart Donal hand pumped a bag valve mask to aid her breathing.

“Payong nalang namo ang bata (We just have to fan the child to cool her),” said the father.

The baby had just undergone stomach surgery when the earthquake hit Tuesday morning.

After the quake, all children were evacuated from the hospital, then moved to the chapel across the street while City Hall officials continue to negotiate with private hospitals to accommodate more than 100 patients, mostly charity cases, who still need care.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday announced that the three-storey hospital would have to be demolished because the damage had left it “very dangerous” for occupancy.

He said the city would build a new one though he wasn’t sure where to get the budget.

Rama said he was hopeful of getting help from the Deparment of Health and the national government.

Vice President Jejomar Binay, who arrived with daughter Sen. Nancy Binay, was given a guided tour of the abandoned hospital and later met with some patients yesterday.

Binay was the one who suggested tearing down the sstructure and building a new one. He pledged to make representation with the national government to finance the project.

“If we spend for retrofitting, it would be the same cost. We may as well spend for new construction,” Mayor Rama said.

MAKESHIFT WARDS

Yesterday at least 73 patients were still waiting in makeshift wards while city officials negotiate with private and government hospitals to accommodate them and waive requiremetns for a cash downpayment.

Patients occupy a covered court, lobby and chapel in the compound of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) across the street from the city hospital.

Yesterday, 16 patients were transferred to different private hospitals in the city.

One adult patient died while being transferred Wednesday night.

Councilor Mary Ann delos Santos said the patient, whose name was not given, had an asthma attack.

“It would be unfair to attribute the death to the hospital because the patient was properly cared for,” she said.

“We prioritize the transfer of patients who are in critical condition. We also have to depend on the availability of spaces in the other hospitals,” said Dr. Gloria Duterte, CCMC chief of hospital.

Chong Hua Hospital has pledged space in one ward for 13 patients.

Other commitments were given by Perpetual Succour Hospital, Miller Hospital, Cebu Doctor’s Hospital, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, and Velez Hospital

Rama ordered the transfer of all patients after city engineers inspected the building, including cracks and collapsed portions, and declared it unfit for occupancy due to damage caused by Tuesday’s 7.2 magnitude earthquake.

“A chapel cannot equal a PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit), but we also don’t want to overburden the other hospitals,” said Dr. Lee James Maratas, head of the pediatric ward.

As of yesterday afternoon, 27 young patients remained in the makeshift ward.

Six were transferred while two patients in critical condition still wait to be transferred, said Dr. Catherine Echevarre, senior pediatric resident.

Conditions are far from ideal.

“Relatives of the patients are lying on the chapel’s pews. Some even have to lie on the floor,” Echivarre said.

Parents use hand fans to cool their babies. The front of the chapel altar serves as a mini-nursery with cribs laid on the surface. The makeshift pediatrics ward had 12 babies, four dengue patients and seven new borns. Two infants were in the neo-natal intensive care unit.

Older patients lie on pews with their intraveneous lines in tow as they hunch over the limited space in a non-airconditioned chapel.

“The place is not a conducive environment for babies but we have no choice but to give priority to those in critical condition,” said head nurse Perelyn Rodil.

Donal, the father of 7-day-old Samantha, was advised to transfer to a private hospital but they were denied admission.

“They told us there was no vacancy in the Intensive Care Unit. We don’t have money for a downpayment,” he said in Cebuano. With UP Intern Victor Anthony Silva and Apple Ta-as