Phl critical care capacity manageable – Palace
While the Department of Health (DOH) has warned that the critical care capacity of hospitals is approaching the “danger zone,” Malacañang said the situation remains manageable as there are still enough hospital beds for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.
The DOH is coordinating with hospitals to ensure that patients will be admitted in institutions with enough healthcare facilities, according to presidential spokesman
Harry Roque.
“With regard to critical care capacity, we were informed that the utilization rate is 60 percent. Health Undersecretary (Leopoldo) Vega said it’s at 70 percent, which is manageable,” Roque said at a press briefing yesterday.
“The work of Usec. Vega’s team is to coordinate with hospitals. They serve as liaisons so when the ICU of a private hospital is filled up, they can refer the patient to another hospital and the patient won’t be turned,” Roque said, referring to the intensive care unit.
Asked whether the country would run out of hospitals for COVID-19 patients, Roque replied: “Not under the system adopted by Usec. Vega because we are urging patients to just listen when informed about the hospital they can go to.
They should not insist (on going to another hospital). They should not worry if one hospital’s capacity is already filled up. They will be referred to another hospital.” “Overall, we have sufficient hospital beds, including ICU beds,” he added.
On Monday, Vega said the critical care capacity of hospitals, especially ICU beds, is “in the danger zone” due to the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases.
He said 573 of 739 ICU beds were occupied as of July 8. To address the problem, the government adopted a “one hospital system,” which seeks to set up COVID-19 bed allocation guidelines and ensure effective minimum and surge capacity in hospitals.
The system requires the government to expand hospital capacity by increasing COVID-19 bed allocations, provide additional healthcare personnel even for private hospitals and augment hospital supplies.
At least three Metro Manila hospitals – St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City and Bonifacio Global City in Taguig and the Makati Medical Center – have announced that their COVID-19 wards have reached full capacity. Roque said the COVID-19 case doubling rate in Metro Manila is seven to 10 days, which means that quarantine restrictions in the region may not be eased yet.
The capital region, which has more than 22,000 COVID-19 cases, has been under general community quarantine since June 1.
“Our classification should not be upgraded. But we also cannot be under a more relaxed scenario,” the Palace spokesman said, noting that an area has to achieve a case doubling rate of “almost 18 days” before it can be downgraded to the most lenient modified general community quarantine.
President Duterte is expected to announce the new quarantine classifications today.
‘Warning zone’
While the National Capital Region (NCR) is currently in the “danger zone” for having 73.7 percent of its isolation beds dedicated for COVID patients occupied, the DOH said six regions are in the “warning zone.”
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the utilization rate of isolation beds in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Central Luzon, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas and Zamboanga peninsula is estimated at 45.7 percent.
Four regions – Bicol, Calabarzon, Central Visayas and Soccsksargen (South Cotabto, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos) – are in “warning zone” for posting 51.9 percent utilization of its COVID beds.
Vergeire clarified the data does not represent all beds in hospitals, but only beds allotted for COVID patients.
“We continue to coordinate with the hospitals so they can allocate enough facilities for COVID-19 patients, especially if there will be a surge in cases,” she said.
Vergeire said the country’s health system is not yet overwhelmed as many hospitals have not complied with a DOH order requiring them to allocate 30 percent of their bed capacity for COVID patients.