Cebu City to continuously assist watchers at VSMMC

Watchers of COVID-19 patients are allowed to stay at the Fuente Osmeña Circle under the monitoring of the Cebu City government. | Photo Courtesy of Cebu City PIO

CEBU CITY, Philippine — The Cebu City government will continuously assist the watchers of COVID-19 patients waiting outside the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) at the Fuente Osmeña Circle.

Cebu City spokesperson Rey Gealon said the city has decided to monitor the watchers and ensure they were taken care of, since most of them refuse to go home to the province as their family members were admitted to the hospital.

The city government already met with the VSMMC administration to discuss how to manage the watchers staying at the Fuente Osmeña Circle.

“Amo nasabutan nga pasudlon sila sa Fuente Circle basta makapakita silag ID (identification card). Nagbutang tag mga tent sa Fuente, nagapud-apud pud ta mga food packs para sa ilaha,” said Gealon.

(We have agreed that the watchers will be allowed inside the Fuente Circle as long as they can present an identification card. We have placed tents at the Fuente Circle, and we have provided food packs.)

The VSMMC already agreed that one patient would be allowed one watcher and the watcher would be issued an ID that would be surrendered once the patient would be released.

Gealon said the watchers still could not stay at the VSMMC because of the high risk of contracting the virus.

“Mao ang pagtubag sa krisis dinha sa VSMMC nunot aning pagpagawas sa mga watchers nga nagbantay sa mga pasyente. Mas maayo nga ihilayo og ikontrolar ang pagsulod gawas niining balay tambalanan,” he added.

(That is our solution to the crisis there at the VSMMC because of the no watcher policy. It would be better to keep them at a distance and control their entry and exit in the hospital.)

There are currently 235 watchers waiting at the Fuente Osmeña Circle. At least 159 of these watchers are residents of the cities and towns under the Cebu province./dbs