Fabella Hospital designates separate facility for suspected, confirmed COVID-19 patients
MANILA, Philippines — The management of Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila said it has designated a separate and exclusive building for the treatment and management of patients suspected or confirmed to have coronavirus disease.
The hospital’s management issued the statement Friday afternoon hours after CNN Philippines reported individuals suspected of having contracted COVID-19 do not have a separate ward and are mixed with other patients.
Fabella Hospital is a national special hospital for obstetrics, gynecology and pediatric cases.
“The time to expand and complete the facility may have taken a while considering the renovation and procurement of needed equipment. But just the same, we started admitting patients with incomplete facility,” Esmeraldo Ilem, the hospital’s chief, said in a statement.
Ilem said tents were put up and renovations in the main hospital building were done to accommodate patients “who will not tell the truth of their status.”
LOOK: Official statement of the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital on COVID-19 allegations#BeatCOVID19#WeHealAsOne#COVID19PH pic.twitter.com/dkFHqdEpSc
— Department of Health (@DOHgovph) April 17, 2020
Infected personnel
The hospital employee also told CNN Philippines that some of the healthcare workers in the hospital may now be virus carriers due to the poor handling of suspected patients. He also claimed the management is not disclosing the test results of hospital personnel.
But Ilem said the test results of hospital employees who have contracted the virus were disclosed to respective units.
“Contact tracing has been made and all possible exposures were advised and subjected for testing. All suspected and positive personnel were counselled and navigated for facility isolation but some preferred home quarantine,” the hospital head said.
The management of Fabella Hospital also said the center was initially short of personal protective equipment and reserved to those directly handling patients. But it said the procurement of supplies is already ongoing.
“Census of patients including those being cared at the isolation building is being posted on a daily basis at the lobby bulletin board,” Ilem said.
The number of people infected with novel coronavirus in the country stood at 5,878, including 487 recoveries and 387 fatalites. — Gaea Katreena Cabico
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