Starting Mar. 26, the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) will begin receiving COVID-19 patients as part of its designation as a COVID-19 referral center. The hospital has allocated 130 beds for patients, according to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.
In order to better handle COVID-19 cases, the PGH and other referral centers will only be taking in mild PUIs (patients under investigation) who are at high risk as well as moderate to critical PUIs. As soon as testing for COVID-19 is readily available, confirmed COVID-19 cases will be sent to these hospitals.
Despite this designation, PGH will not be a COVID-19 exclusive hospital. PGH director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi explained that the hospital’s Cancer Institute and Emergency Room will remain operational in order to accommodate patients who are able to get treatment only through PGH funding.
Vergeire also noted that two other referral centers, the Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City and Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital and Sanitarium in Caloocan City, will also begin accepting COVID-19 patients within the week. Once these centers are fully functional, private hospitals may transfer their severe and critical cases to these hospitals.
Header photo courtesy of Philippine General Hospital’s Facebook page
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Writer: ANGELA PATRICIA SUACILLO
