Government sets up 55 COVID-19 referral hospitals

MANILA, Philippines — The government has set up 55 coronavirus disease referral hospitals across the country as part of efforts to secure facilities and resources for health workers treating those infected with COVID-19, according to Malacañang.

In his weekly report to Congress on the implementation of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, President Duterte said every region has at least one such facility.

In Metro Manila, three hospitals with a total capacity of 620 beds have been designated for COVID-19, while around 1,700 isolation and quarantine beds are to be put up with local government units (LGUs), the Bases Conversion Development Authority and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The report said the country has 172,144 private and public health workers, including 28,428 doctors, 89,254 nurses, 42,108 midwives and 12,754 medical technologists.

The country also has 1,263 ventilators, it added.

The DPWH was tasked to convert evacuation centers and selected sites as health and quarantine facilities, emergency operation centers, food hubs and quarters for health workers.

The agency has designated 114 evacuation centers for conversion, 68 of which have been converted while 46 are already being used.