Government authorities encouraged the public to call the hotline of the One Hospital Command for proper referral in health facilities amid the rising occupancy rates in hospitals due to a spike in COVID-19 cases.
“It can be a private person who can call, it can be an institution – a hotel or a hospital - that can directly access the One Hospital Command and we will provide you the direction on where - and coordination on where you should go,” said Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega during the Malacanang press briefing on Friday, March 19.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque also made the pronouncement.
“Ini-engganyo ko po ang ating mga kababayan, bago po kayo pumunta sa ospital siguro tumawag muna kayo sa One Hospital Command Center nang hindi na kayo kung saan-saang ospital napupunta only to be turned away dahil walang espasyo ‘no (I encourage our citizens that before you go to a hospital, maybe you should first call the One Hospital Command Center so that you don't have to go to different health facilities only to be turned away because there is no space),” said Roque.
Vega said that the healthcare utilization rate in the whole of Metro Manila is currently at 54 percent.
“Nakakaalarma kasi may mga areas lalung-lalo nasa Manila, Quezon City, Taguig, and Makati, iyon napapansin po namin na high risk category na po sila, so more than 70 percent na ho ang usage nila, may iba nga umaapak na sa 83 percent (It is alarming because there are areas, particularly in Manila, Quezon City, Taguig, and Makati, we notice that they are in the high risk category, so their usage is more than 70 percent, there are others reaching 83 percent),” said Vega.
The public and hospitals may contact the command center by downloading the mobile application Pure Force Citizens. It can also be reached through its hotlines: 02-886-505-00, 0915-777-7777 and 0919-977-3333.