Tao hindi pandemic proof pero pwedeng maging pandemic capable

Lockdown

HINDI umano dapat masayang ang leksyon na natutunan ng bansa sa coronavirus disease 2019 at gawing pandemic-capable ang mga ospital sa bansa.

Ayon kay House Deputy Speaker at Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman hindi man ‘pandemic-proof’ ang tao maaari namang tayong maging ‘pandemic-capable”.

“All projections point to a rise in cases until the middle of the year, and experts say that a vaccine may be available after a year and a half. At hanggang hindi pa nakakahanap ng bakuna laban sa COVID-19, kailangan na nating palakasin ang ating mga frontlines by increasing their capabilities to treat patients with the virus in the future,” ani Hataman.

Iminungkahi ni Hataman na iangat ang mga level 1 hospital sa level 2 upang maaari silang makapanggamot ng nahawa ng COVID-19.

“Our hospitals are our frontlines and our healthcare workers are our frontliners in this war, but we cannot continue operating on the same level of health emergency response as we do now. It is just not sustainable, especially if our situation worsens or we see a sudden spike in the number of cases,” ani Hataman.

“If we can upgrade all these Level 1 hospitals and make them ‘COVID-ready’ in the immediate future, complete with the training of medical professionals, we increase our arsenal against this disease and any other pandemic that comes our way.”

Ang Level 1 hospital ay walang intensive care unit at ang ginagamot lamang ay ang mga minor care.

Ang mga Level 2 hospital naman ay may ICU at mayroong pediatric at gynecology doctor. Ang Level 3 naman ay may high-level specialty intervention gaya ng dialysis treatment.

“While our frontlines – the hospitals and other healthcare and LGU facilities – have their hands full with the rising number of COVID-19 cases, our government planners should be busy drawing up the blueprint for a ‘pandemic-ready’ Philippines. Kailangan na natin itong paghandaan habang lumalaban tayo sa sakit na ito,” dagdag pa ng solon.

“Sa panahon na marami sa ating kababayan ang pinanghihinaan ng loob, gamitin natin itong oportunidad upang palakasin ang ating pagtugon sa mga ganitong pandemic. We should show our citizens that the government is in control and it is doing everything to bounce back from this global health crisis.”

Ayon sa Department of Health, noong 2018 ay 783 ospital (64 porsyento) ay Level 1 hospitals. Mayroon itong kabuuang 32,144 hospital bed capacity o 32 porsyento ng bed capacity ng bansa.