These are the patients outside a provincial hospital, who were waiting for their RT-PCR results. | Contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia directed top officials of all province-owned hospitals here to properly manage the flow of patients crowding in their facilities.
This developed after photos and videos showing patients lying on folding beds, some hooked to IV (intravenous) lines, waiting outside Cebu Provincial Hospital in Danao City recently went viral on social media.
Garcia, in a press conference on Monday, August 2, said the incident in Danao City was ‘just a case of mismanagement’.
After meeting with the chiefs of all four provincial hospitals on Monday morning, the governor said she was informed most of the patients captured were individuals waiting for results of their RT-PCR tests.
Garcia added that these people were already discharged when they were found out to have tested negative of the COVID-19 infection.
“Daghan pa man unta space kabutangan inside…These individuals were actually waiting for test results. In fact, kagabii, pagka-gabii, daghan nanguli kay nigawas na ang test results unya negative,” said Garcia.
(There were even ample space for them to stay inside… These individuals were actually waiting for test results. In fact, last night, many went home after the test results were released and they tested negative for the virus.)
As a result, she ordered all chiefs of hospitals in the province to properly manage the influx of patients and to always coordinate with the nearest district or provincial hospital.
“Akong instruction sa chiefs of hospital… Naa na sa management. Because the other hospitals are not experiencing the same,” Garcia pointed out.
(My instruction to the chiefs of hospital…that is in management. Because the other hospitals are not experiencing the same.)
“We have 456 COVID-19 beds, and that’s shared in all our four provincial hospitals (Danao City, Balamban, Carcar City and Bogo City), and our 12 district hospitals. Which as I reminded them again to help each other,” she added.
The development also led Garcia to consider to introduce rapid antigen tests instead of the gold-standard RT-PCR if it meant expediting results.
In the meantime, the governor said COVID-19 occupancy rates in all province-owned hospitals remained within safe levels.
She also said they were already processing the purchase of additional equipment, like high-flow machines, to enable provincial hospitals to entertain moderate to severe COVID-19 cases.
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