All Department of Health (DOH)- retained hospitals in Metro Manila “remain operational,” the DOH said on Friday night, April 2.
The DOH made the statement following reports that “certain DOH-retained hospitals in the National Capital Region have suspended operations due to increasing numbers” of healthcare workers infected with coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
“Some DOH-retained hospitals have suspended elective surgeries and outpatient department (OPD) operations to ensure that the most critical services continue while healthcare workers recover from COVID-19,” it said in a statement.
Currently, there are a total of 17 DOH-retained hospitals in Metro Manila, it noted.
“Individual hospital infection control units have started hospital-level investigations to find sources of infection and contain further spread. Meanwhile, healthcare workers infected with COVID-19 are being provided support by facilitating hospital or isolation facility admission,” it added.
The Health department assured the public that it continued augmenting "hospital resources by downloading funds to the hospitals for hiring of additional personnel, purchase of medicines, and referral of patients to the appropriate facility.”
The DOH urged the medical frontliners to immediately avail the vaccine for their protection against the COVID-19.
“With the observed high hospital admissions coupled with increasing cases among our frontliners, the DOH calls on remaining healthcare workers to get their COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible,” it said.
Meanwhile, individuals experiencing COVID-19 symptoms were urged to immediately isolate and coordinate with their Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs) for health advice and referral to the appropriate facility, the DOH said.
“The public is also called on to utilize teleconsultations for non-urgent medical needs to avoid overcrowding in hospitals and ensure that all critical patient needs are attended to,” it added.
The DOH also reminded the public to remain vigilant, minimize non-essential travel, and strictly observe the minimum public health standards to curb the transmission of COVID-19.