The city continues to gain ground in its effort to prevent the possibility that the health care system will be overwhelmed with the availability of some 436 isolation beds for the isolation requirements of confirmed and suspected Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients coming from the different barangays.
City Administrator Bonifacio dela Peña said the improvement of the city’s isolation unit based at the former Sto. Niño Hospital is underway to increase its current 90-bed capacity to 290 by the end of October.
He disclosed that the funds to be used in the upgrading of the facility is part of the P12 million previously released by Public Works Secretary Mark Villar for the put up of the city’s isolation center with P8 million to be used for the upgrading of the facility while P4 million for the procurement of the required medical equipment to ensure the sustainable operation of the center.
The department head explained that the increase in the isolation unit’s bed capacity will be on a per week basis as per agreed project implementation that will cover the facility’s 3 basements and 3 upper floors to ensure available beds for confirmed COVID-19 patients who will be brought to the area for isolation.
The project was already awarded to the winning contractor who will do the programmed works that range from the repair of the building’s roofing, plumbing and electrical works, installation of lightings and purchase of beds and mattresses.
At the same time, the city administrator stated the city government is awaiting the delivery of the container vans to be used as a 16-bed isolation unit adjacent to the city’s central triage at the Baguio Convention Center (BCC) which should also be operational in a few weeks time.
Dela Peña reported that individuals tested positive for the dreaded COVID-19 in the centralized triage center will be immediately isolated in the nearby isolation unit to minimize the transport of the patients to other health facilities.
In the case of the Baguio Teachers Camp, City Health officer Dr. Rowena Galpo stated the isolation unit has a 90-bed capacity aside from the potential use of another hall in the area with a projected 40-bed capacity to serve COVID-19 cases among residents and returning stranded individuals and Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
She assured there will be enough health personnel assigned to manage the operation of the central triage center and the different established city isolation units as the health department has provided the city with additional health workers, thus, the central triage will be operational on a 24-hour basis.
On September 20, 2020, the central triage center now based at the St. Vincent Gymnasium along Naguilian Road will be transferred to the newly constructed centralized triage facility within the premises of the Baguio Convention Center to triage individuals coming to the city.
By DEXTER A. SEE