The Philippine General Hospital (PGH) announced Thursday, Jan. 6, that its maternity ward will be temporarily shut down amid the increasing number of coronavirus disease (COVID) patients.
PGH spokesperson Dr. Jonas Del Rosario said the decision was arrived at Thursday morning following the surge of COVID-patients.
“Kaya nga po pinapa-announce sa akin na sarado muna po ‘yung paanakan ng PGH for the time being dahil talagang kami ang binabagsakan ng manganganak na COVID. Maraming ospital na ayaw tumanggap ng mga COVID patients (That is why they asked me to announce that the PGH maternity ward will be closed for the time being because we accommodate pregnant women who were infected with COVID. Many hospitals do not want to accept COVID patients),” Del Rosario said in an interview over DZBB.
The PGH is currently attending to 230 COVID-19 patients.
READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2022/01/06/sumisipa-ulit-ang-covid-pgh-now-serving-230-covid-19-patients/
“Kasi dalawa po ang nangyari. Sumobra dami ng pasyente so kailangan namin i-discharge ‘yung iba tapos marami din nagkakasakit na staff, nahawa o nagka-COVID during the holiday (Because two things happened. There is influx of patients so we have to discharge some of them, and then many of our staff got sick, have been infected or caught COVID during the holiday),” Del Rosario explained.
He said they decided to close the hospital’s maternity ward as they were “trying our best to accommodate everyone."
“Tapos po humingi ng tulong na ‘yung OB Department, nakikiusap po kahit siguro in the next 24, 48 hours para lang medyo ma-recalibrate namin at makahanap kami ng paglalagyan nila (Then, our OB Department asked for assistance. They are appealing for closure in the next 24, 48 hours so we can recalibrate and find a place for the patients),” the PGH spokesperson said.
In an advisory on Jan. 5, the PGH said strict criteria for ER consultations and admission will be implemented.
It said only life/limb-threatening conditions, trauma, stroke, and heart attack cases will be accommodated in the ER room, while its OB ER is temporarily closed.