38 of 130 medical facilities in NCR in ‘danger zone’ if COVID cases surge
CALL THEM ‘Q BANDS’ A Caloocan City barangay health worker in full protective gear shows off a bunch of quarantine bands that the city government has decided to put on the wrists of residents who have been exposed to COVID-19 patients and are on quarantine for easy monitoring. INQUIRER file photo / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines — Thirty-eight out of 130 medical centers in Metro Manila are in danger of being overwhelmed when it comes to handling a surge of coronavirus disease cases as most of their facilities to treat patients infected with COVID-19 are mostly occupied, according to data of Department of Health (DOH).
The data was based on the DOH’s tracker for COVID-19 bed capacity in Metro Manila Hospitals as of Sept. 16.
In an interview with INQUIRER.net, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the reporting of bed occupancy would determine whether a health facility is capable enough to handle the surge of COVID-19 cases in their area.
“When DOH reports utilization, these are for dedicated COVID-19 beds in health facilities and their capacity to handle cases in case there is a surge,” Vergeire said in a text message.
“Therefore, if less than 30%, the facility is ‘safe’ in case of surge, 30-70% ‘warning’ in case of surge, and 70% in ‘danger’ of being full in case of surge,” she added.
Vergeire underscored that their data is only for COVID-19 beds, which means there is a separate data for facilities meant for treating other illnesses.
“We also highlight that these are for COVID-19 dedicated beds only, and not necessarily the total beds of the hospital,” she said.
Meanwhile, 55 health centers are under “warning level” and 37 are under “safe level” in case coronavirus infections increase.
Hospitals that are under “warning level” are Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRRMMC) in Santa Cruz, Manila; Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City; The Medical City (TMC) in Pasig; University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) in Ermita, Manila; St. Luke’s Medical Center-Global City in Taguig; and San Lazaro Hospital in Tayuman, Manila.
INQUIRER.net collected the most recent data available on DOH COVID-19 tracker for bed capacity which is dated Sept. 16. Only hospitals in Metro Manila, which have COVID-19 beds, were included in this story.
‘Danger level’
Based on the presented data at DOH COVID-19 tracker for hospital beds, the following are under danger zone:
Adventist Medical Center – 73.9 percent Allied Care Experts Medical Center Valenzuela Inc. – 100 percent Cardinal Santos Medical Center – 71.2 percent F.Y. Manalo Medical Foundation, INC. – 95.5 percent Hospital of the Infant Jesus Medical Center – 100 percent Las Piñas Doctors Hospital – 86.7 percent Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center – 73.9 percent Makati Medical Center – 100 percent Marikina Valley Medical Center- 80 percent Mary Chiles Hospital – 100 percent Medical Center Manila – 87.2 percent Medical Center Muntinlupa – 100 percent Medical Center Taguig – 64.7 percent Metro North Medical Center and Hospital – 100 percent National Center for Mental Health – 100 percent National Kidney and Transplant Institute – 89.8 percent Novaliches District Hospital – 100 percent Ospital ng Muntinlupa – 98.5 percent Pacific Global Medical Center – 77.8 percent Philippine Children’s Medical Center – 100 percent Providence Hospital – 81.3 percent Quezon City General Hospital – 77.2 percent Quirino Memorial Medical Center – 83.3 percent Rosario Maclang Bautista Hospital – 100 percent SDS Medical Center – 100 percent St. Victoria Hospital – 100 percent Sta. Ana Hospital in Manila – 100 percent Taguig Pateros District Hospital – 100 percent Tondo Medical Center – 76.7 percent Tricity Medical Center Inc. – 100 percent U.E.R.M. Memorial Hospital – 72.7 percent University of Perpetual Help Dalta Medical Center Inc. – 100 percent University of Santo Tomas Hospital – 100 percent Valenzuela Citicare Medical Center Timog Hilaga Providence Group Inc. – 90 percent Valenzuela City Emergency Hospital – 100 percent Veterans Memorial Medical Center – 97. 5 percent Victoriano Luna Medical Center – 100 percent World Citi Medical Center – 73.5 percent
‘Warning level’
Here are health facilities under “warning level” or those with COVID-19 beds that are close to being overwhelmed:
Allied Care Experts Medical Center in Pateros – 43.8 percent Allied Care Experts Medical Center in Quezon City – 32 percent Caloocan City Medical Center – 41.1 percent Capitol Medical Center Inc. – 50.7 percent Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center – 61.1 percent Commonwealth Hospital and Medical Center – 66.2 percent De Los Santos Medical Center – 48.8 percent Diliman Doctors Hospital Inc. – 54.1 percent Dr. Fe Del Mundo Medical Center – 51.8 percent Dr. Jesus C Delgado Memorial Hospital – 56.3 percent Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital – 32.4 percent Dr. Montano G. Ramos General Hospital Corporation – No occupied beds Dr. Victor R. Potenciano Medical Center – 59.5 percent E. Zarate Hospital – 50 percent East Avenue Medical Center – 54.5 percent Fatima University Medical Center Corporation – 52.4 percent FEU- DR. Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation Inc. – 38.9 percent Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center – 60 percent Holy Life Hospital – 50 percent Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center – 48.9 percent Justice Jose Abad General Hospital – 48.9 percent Las Piñas City Medical Center – 37.5 percent Lung Center of the Philippines – 64.4 percent Mandaluyong City Medical Center – 41.4 percent Mary Johnston Hospital Inc. – 69 percent MCU-FDT Medical Foundation Hospital – 66.7 percent Metropolitan Medical Center – 54.1 percent National Children’s Hospital- 58.3 percent Navotas City Hospital- 56.3 percent Novaliches General Hospital – 50 percent Ospital ng Makati- 54.6 percent Ospital ng Malabon – 30 percent Ospital ng Sampaloc – 44.4 percent Ospital ng Tondo- 30.8 percent Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Inc. – 45.7 percent Pasay City General Hospital- 50 percent Pasig City Children’s Hospital Hope – 63.7 percent Pasig City General Hospital – 62.5 percent Pasig Doctors Medical Center Inc. – 62.5 percent Philippine Heart Center – 36.1 percent Philippine Orthopedic Center – 36.4 percent Pope John Paul II Hospital and Medical Center Inc. – 34.4 percent Research Institute and Tropical Medicine – 63.6 percent Rizal Medical Center – 65. 8 percent San Juan De Dios Educational Foundation – 40 percent San Juan Medical Center – 53.5 percent San Lazaro Hospital – 38.7 percent St. Clare’s Medical Center – 66.7 percent St. Luke’s Medical Center, Quezon City – 56 percent St. Luke’s Medical Center Taguig – 58.5 percent The Medical City – 53.2 percent UHBI-Parañaque Doctors Hospital Inc. – 50 percent Unihealth Parañaque Hospital and Medical Center Inc. – 44.1 percent University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital – 52.4 percent Valenzuela Medical Center – 54.1 percent
‘Safe level’
Here are the health centers that are marked as “safe” in case there is a sudden influx of COVID-19 cases in their area:
A Zarate Hospital – No occupied beds Air Force General Hospital – 27.2 percent Alabang Medical Clinic Las Piñas branch – No occupied beds Alabang Medical Clinic Muntinlupa branch – 25 percent Alfonso Hospital Specialist Hospital – No occupied beds Cabarles Maternity Medical and Children’s Clinic – No occupied beds Caloocan City North Medical Center Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo Station Hospital – 2.9 percent Christ the King Medical Center UniHealth Las Piñas Inc. – No occupied beds D.T. Protacio Hospital – No occupied beds De Ocampo Memorial Medical Center- No occupied beds Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital – 9.8 percent Foundation of Our Lady of Peace Mission Inc. Our Lady of Peace Hospital – No occupied beds Gen. Miguel Malvar Medical Research Foundation Inc. – No occupied beds Jesus Immaculate Concepcion Hospital – No occupied beds Manila Doctors Hospital – 18.2 percent Manila Naval Hospital- 20.8 percent Marikina Doctors Hospital and Medical Center – No occupied beds Marikina St. Vincent General Hospital Inc. – No occupied beds MCPC St. Therese of Lisieux Doctors Hospital – No occupied beds Medical Center Parañaque. – 11.1 percent safe Mission Hospital- No occupied beds Olivarez General Hospital Inc. – 21.4 percent Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center – 21.2 percent Salve Regina General Hospital – No occupied beds San Lorenzo Hospital Health Management – No occupied beds San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital – 25 percent Seamen’s Hospital – 28.6 percent St. Camillus Medical Center – 15.4 percent St. Jude General Hospital and Medical Center – No occupied beds Tagig Doctors hospital – No occupied beds The Premier Medical Center – No occupied beds United Doctors Medical Center- No occupied beds University of the Philippines Health Service – No occupied beds Vian Family Hospital II – No occupied beds Villarosa Hospital Inc. – No occupied beds VT Maternity Hospital – No occupied beds
Bed types
The DOH data also showed the total capacity of different types of hospital beds namely, ward beds, isolation beds and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds. The number of mechanical ventilators were also recorded by the DOH.
Vergeire explained that ward beds are used for COVID-19 cases with mild or moderate symptoms, which means these types of patients can be put together inside one room.
Isolation beds have their own room, toilet and are usually used for patients who have pending laboratory results to avoid being exposed to other COVID-19-infected persons, Vergeire added.
ICU beds, meanwhile, are used for patients under critical condition because the patients need machines and direct care with doctors and nurses.
“We monitor all types to understand which types of patients and beds are at risk of filling up in case of surge,” Vergeire said.
Mechanical ventilators are used for patients who cannot breathe on their own or have difficulty in breathing, the health official added.
“We monitor mechanical ventilators since COVID19 affects the respiratory system and availability of equipment will be a rate limiting step to providing full treatment to these cases,” Vergeire said.
Under the DOH Administrative Order 2020-0016, at least 30 percent of public hospital beds and 20 percent of private hospital beds should be allotted for COVID-19 cases.
As of Sept. 18 at 4 p.m., Philippines logged 279,526 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 208,790 recoveries and 4,830 fatalities.
