We need better coordination, Gullas tells Talisay District Hospital

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas urged the Talisay District Hospital (TDH) to coordinate with the city government when it comes to admitting patients suspected for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“I am very concerned with our increasing positive cases in the city. I’m very much concerned with what happened with PT15. Today I wrote the Talisay District Hospital a letter urging that we need to set protocols for patients in the hospital, together with better coordination,” said the mayor.

Gullas said in a statement that because the results of Patient 15, who died of cardiac arrest on May 13, 2020, arrived late, the family assumed that they could have a normal wake for the deceased.

Read: Talisay City to remain under MECQ until May 31 – Gullas

The family held a wake, unknowing that the patient proved positive to the COVID-19. Patients who die with the virus are supposed to be cremated immediately and no public wake should be allowed.

This was a cause of concern for the city government because they had trouble contact tracing and identifying the areas needed for the lockdown.

“We have contact traced and locked down the area where the wake was conducted, as well as direct family members who had contact. The barangay has also contacted the people who attended the wake to home quarantine pending the results of the swabs of the direct contacts. They will be swabbed as soon as possible. Hopefully, they are negative,” said the mayor.

Read: Gullas orders probe on deaths of six Talisay City COVID patients

The mayor emphasized the need for coordination between the Department of Health-run TDH and the local government. He said the city government has to know and be prepared for any new case of the virus.

Gullas also reiterated his request to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) to fast-track the processing of samples because the delayed results are causing some individuals or even areas to be quarantined more than the mandatory 14 days.

“I know Puno kaau ang Sotto. But hangyo unta ko. (I know Sotto is full. But I would like to appeal.) Since early May these people have been isolated and quarantined in a facility pending the results. We need to know the results of these contact tracing so we can close these cases and move forward and concentrate on the new positive cases. If negative, we close contact tracing. If positive, then we prepare contact tracing again,” he said.

The mayor said the city is still waiting for many of the swab sample they have sent to Sotto. Many families, sitios (sub-villages), and even barangays (villages) are under lockdown pending the release of these results. Gullas hope the DOH takes this into consideration. /bmjo