NAIS ng isang solon na gamitin ang mga ospital ng sundalo sa paglaban sa coronavirus disease 2019.
“Where are the military hospitals in our war against the COVID-19 pandemic?” tanong ni Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman.
Sinabi ni Lagman na habang ang mga pribado at pampublikong ospital ay aligaga sa dami ng mga pasyente na kailangang asikasuhin halos wala umanong marinig sa mga ospital ng Armed Forces of the Philippines at Veterans Memorial Hospital na nasa pangangasiwa ng Department of National Defense.
“With the expected surge of confirmed cases consequent to the expanded testing, the Department of Health must fully tap these military hospitals in the campaign against the novel coronavirus,” saad ng solon.
Ang mga pangunahing military hospital ay may kabuuang kapasidad na 2,451 bed capacity: ang AFP Medical Center na kilala bilang V. Luna Medical Center ay may 1,200 bed capacity; ang Army General Hospital ay may 200; ang Air Force General Hospital ay 100; ang Navy General Hospital at Cavite Naval Hospital ay 185 at ang Veterans Memorial Medical Center ay 766.
Ang iba pang ospital ng AFP na nasa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa ay may 556 bed capacity, ayon kay Lagman.
“These hospitals are fully funded under the 2020 General Appropriations Act with the Veterans Memorial Medical Center and the V. Luna Medical Center having almost identical total appropriations of P1.8-billion each.”
Ang VMMC ay mayroong limang COVID cases at ang V. Luna ay mayroong isa. Wala namang napaulat na COVID cases sa iba pang ospital ng AFP.
Ang top 5 hospital na may pinakamaraming COVID cases ay St. Luke’s Global (91), St. Luke’s Quezon City (81), Makati Medical Center (72), Lung Center (62) at The Medical City-Ortigas (56).