THE City Government of Davao is planning on increasing the Covid-19 beds in the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) as cases continue to surge.
"Ginasulayan nato sa pagkakaron nga padak-on ang SPMC isolation kay isa pud ni sa mga areas nga kinahanglan nga padaghanon ang slots or beds for waiting areas sa SPMC (We are trying to expand the SPMC isolation bed capacity since this is one of the areas that needs to be expanded)," Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said in a radio interview on Monday, November 9, via 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
Despite SPMC being under the supervision of the Department of Health (DOH), the mayor said the City Government will help in expanding the city's Covid-19 referral hospital.
Based on her initial talks with SPMC officer-in-charge Dr. Ricardo Audan, the mayor said the hospital management has already identified an area where the extended Covid-19 isolation area will be constructed.
The mayor also said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) pledged to be the project implementer in constructing additional facilities.
Duterte-Carpio, meanwhile, said the city still has available bed capacities for Covid-19 suspected and confirmed patients.
Based on the data the mayor furnished, a 30-bed facility for Covid-19 suspects has only one admitted patient, while seven facilities intended for confirmed Covid-19 patients, which can accommodate 480 patients, have only been occupied by 303 people.
Another seven facilities intended for individuals awaiting their swab results, which can accommodate 375 people, have only 241 beds occupied. This despite the city having more than 1,000 active cases.
The mayor said some patients were brought to the Davao Doctors Hospital-Dumoy satellite, while some patients are in the city's Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities (TTMF).
This is to decongest SPMC's bed occupancy, which had been exhausted in the past few days.
The mayor, meanwhile, explained that patients who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms are mostly brought to the city's TTMF. This is to give way to patients who have severe or critical conditions who need utmost care in SPMC.
