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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Healthcare system 'under siege', PH Red Cross calls for volunteers

Healthcare system 'under siege', PH Red Cross calls for volunteers

Published Apr 24, 2021 02:30 pm

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is calling on health care workers to volunteer by monitoring mild to moderate or recovering coronavirus disease (COVID-19) positive patients to be admitted to its Emergency COVID-19 Field Hospitals (EFH).

The Philippine Red Cross is looking for healthcare workers who would help in its pandemic response efforts. (Photo from PH Red Cross)

PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Senator Richard Gordon called for more healthcare workers to help patients to be admitted to the EFHs.

“Padadagdagan pa natin ng additional tents kung kakailanganin. Pero kahit na magdagdag ka ng kama, kung kulang ang doctors at nurses, talagang under siege ang ating healthcare system (We will add additional tents if needed. But even if you add a bed, if there is a shortage of doctors and nurses, our healthcare system is really under siege),”Gordon said.

The PRC has started establishing EFHs which to help “free up wards and emergency rooms in hospitals for more critical patients.”

In the past week, PRC has already erected 18 air conditioned tents that will serve as surge facilities of the Lung Center of the Philippines, eight of which can admit a total of 100 patients.

PRC added that it will equip the EFH with patient monitoring equipment such as pulse oximeters, mobile X-ray machines, ECG machines, and cardiac monitors.

“Ang gusto ko nga, magkaroon tayo ng medic volunteers. Kung mag-train tayo for one to two weeks ng mga minders, anuman ang background nila, we can test them para makatulong sila na mag-monitor ng mga pasyente habang sila ay naka-full personal protective equipment (PPE) - kahit mga 18 years old, pwedeng tumulong (What I really want is for us to have medic volunteers. If we train for one to two weeks minders, regardless of their background, we can test them to help them monitor patients while they are on full personal protective equipment (PPE) - even those who are 18 years old can help,” Gordon added.

Gordon explained that in order to minimize the exposure of the healthcare workers and to ensure their welfare while stationed at the EFH, the PRC has set up a PPE donning and doffing area, portable hand washing stations at all work areas, and staff quarters with a pantry.

He also enjoined the government to provide support to potential volunteers and prioritize their vaccination, so they can immediately take care of the patients.

“We’re going to win this fight if everybody helps out,” Gordon said. “Kaya dapat habang nagdadagdag tayo ng hospital beds ay nagre-reinforce tayo ng volunteers (That is why as we add hospital beds, we need to reinforce the volunteers),” he added.

Currently, the humanitarian organization is also securing other areas for additional EFH deployment.

Related Tags

PhilippineRedCross Hospitals healthcareworkers SenatorGordon redcross volunteers Gordon PRC Covid19
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