The Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) is struggling from manpower shortage after some of its health workers tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

In a DZMM Teleradyo interview on Tuesday, Sept. 21, LCP spokesperson Dr. Norberto Francisco said at least 36 of their health workers had contracted the deadly disease.

"Sa ngayon ang active cases namin 36. Isa na ho ito sa pinakamadami sa history ng Lung Center since last year. Pero 405 na po ang naka-recover dito. Ang total namin 442. (So far we have 36 active cases. This is one of the most in the history of the Lung Center since last year. But 405 have been recovered here. Our total is 442.) This is actually a good batting average compared to other healthcare hospitals,” he said.

LCP is a referral facility for coronavirus patients with severe and critical cases.

“Ngayon, hirap po kami kasi talagang kulang at kulang ang manpower. We want to expand our services and we have been. Isa ito sa pinakamataas naming din-dedicate ang ospital sa COVID beds (Today, we are struggling because we really lack manpower. We want to expand our services and we have been. This is one of the highest that we dedicate the hospital to COVID beds)," Francisco said.

"Ang isa pa sa pumipigil yung healthcare personnel namin, limitado po. Masalimuot ang COVID, maalagain ang mga pasyente (One of the restrictions is that our healthcare personnel are limited. COVID is complex, patients are patient),” he added.

Francisco noted 84 percent of its hospital beds are dedicated to COVID patients.

He added the hospital is already full and that the waiting time to move from the emergency room to a ward dedicated for coronavirus patients can sometimes takes up to five days.

"Minsan kapag puno ay sila ay nasa emergency room, napipilitan po tayo na alagaan sila kahit sila ay naka wheelchair lang (Sometimes when they are in the emergency room, we are forced to take care of them even if they are in a wheelchair)," Francsico told DZMM.

“The reliable indicator, one of the sensitive indicator of the operational capacity of the hospital, yun pila sa emergency room. Kasi kung bakante sa ospital kahit padating ng padating sa emergency room naigagawa namin ng paraan in 24 hours naiaakyat namin yan (is the line in the emergency room. Because if there is a vacancy in the hospital, even if we come to the emergency room, we can find a way in 24 hours, we can raise it)," he stressed.

The Department of Health on Monday, Sept 20. reported additional 18,937 COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of cases to 2,385,616.