Photo Courtesy of OPAV
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The IEC Convention Center (IC3) isolation facility is nearly ready to accommodate patients as a private foundation, LH Foundation Inc. (LHFI), completed the construction of the facility today, February 3, 2022.
The facility will be managed by the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) and the Cebu City government as a Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facility (TTMF).
The Archdiocese of Cebu, which owns the IC3 isolation facility, has finally agreed on a contract with VSMMC and the Cebu City government for the use of the facility.
The archdiocese had cut ties with Bayanihan Cebu Inc. (BCI), which managed the facility as an isolation and vaccination center for two years, after they failed to reach amicable terms.
This time, the Church has signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the VSMMC for the management of the IC3 COVID Treatment Center (IEC-CTC) through the help of its partners such as LFHI and the Cebu City government.
LFHI constructed and provided the equipment for the facility while VSMMC and the city government are expected to provide the manpower, resources, and other assistance to the facility.
The IEC-CTC is a 120-bed treatment and isolation facility that will provide medical care for asymptomatic, mild, and moderate COVID-19 patients from February 1, 2022, to January 31, 2023, to help augment the health care capacity of Cebu.
The current Covid Capacity Utilization Rates (CCUR) for both Public and Private Hospitals in Cebu remain at high levels due to the ongoing Omicron-driven surge.
Since the IEC-CTC is now ready to operate, this should serve COVID-19 patients in need of medical care and isolation assistance, especially for those whose homes may not be suitable for home isolation due to damage caused by the recent typhoon.
The facility is expected to help decongest the allocated COVID-19 beds in the public and private hospitals of Cebu, which can now focus more on the treatment of severe and critical COVID-19 patients, while expeditiously providing proper medical care for patients with mild to moderate symptoms, especially for those who might be unable to self-isolate at home due to damage caused by the recent typhoon.
The opening of the IEC-CTC will be announced soon.
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