34 COVID-19 patients ordered home
They are on maintenance hemodialysis at the Flora V. Valisno de Siojo Dialysis Center where treatments are provided for free by the city government. Thank you, Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center.
Thirty-four recovered COVID-19 patients under the care of Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center (GABMMC) were given a clean bill of health Monday, according to Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso.
Those virus-stricken patients were under the care of its medical chief Ted Martin, MD.
Of the 34 COVID-19 patients, 25 had chronic kidney disease who were miraculously healed and ordered to go home, according to Moreno.
“They are on maintenance hemodialysis at the Flora V. Valisno de Siojo Dialysis Center where treatments are provided for free by the city government. Thank you, Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center!” Moreno said.
Owing to this, Moreno commended Martin, all the doctors, nurses and staff for a job well done, considering the complex situation of the patients.
Martin said despite the declaration of the community quarantine, the free dialysis services at the GABMMC did not stop on strict orders of the mayor.
Some 10,000 free hemodialysis treatments have been given at the dialysis center since the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) began and Moreno assured the center will continue to extend its free healthcare services to all Manilans who are in dire need of accessible healthcare, most especially the patients stricken with end-stage renal disease.
Also, upon Moreno’s directive, Martin said the free transportation provided for the dialysis patients continues.
From the start, Martin said Moreno assigned vehicles to pick up dialysis patients from their homes and take them back home once the treatment is over. The treatment often leaves them too weak to seek public transport.
Last month, 42 of the more than 300 undergoing free dialysis at the GABMMC were confirmed to have been infected, the youngest being only 16 and the oldest, 70.
This prompted Moreno and vice mayor Honey Lacuna, under whose supervision the city hospitals fall, to assign the Tondo Sports Complex turned quarantine facility for the exclusive use of patients, with personnel from the GABMMC and the Manila Health Department under Dr. Arnold Pangan jointly manning the facility.
In devoting a whole quarantine facility for them, Moreno said patients face far more challenging requirements since they suffer from kidney problems that require dialysis.
Some of the private hospitals are now at full capacity and some of its workers have been discouraged, afraid and planning to go on leave as many of them have been affected by the virus.