MISAMIS OCCIDENTAL (PIA)—To contain the COVID-19 surge in the province, some local government officials here met in a forum to discuss how the city and province are faring in the pandemic and the existence of a more transmissible Delta variant, September 17.
This initiative also aims to know the current situation of Mayor Hilarion A. Ramiro Sr. Medical Center (MHARS-MC) and other private hospitals in order to respond to the call of patients in the province.
Second District Rep. Henry Oaminal, Misamis Occidental officials headed by Governor Philip Tan together with First District Rep. Diego Ty, local executives, board members, Philippine National Police in Misamis Occidental and Mayor Hilarion A. Ramiro Sr. Medical Center (MHARS-MC) graced the said event.
“Naningkamot ta og maayo nga makatabang but dili gyud tanan tungod sa limited occupancy sa atong MHARS-MC and the other private hospitals. Although sa MHARS kutob sa mahimo basta taga Misamis Occidental gipangitaan gyud og paaagi,” Oaminal said.
(We are trying our best to help but not all will be accommodated due to the limited occupancy of MHARS-MC including the private hospitals, however so long as you are a resident of Misamis Occidental, MHARS-MC will surely look for a way for you to get accommodated)
On enforcing measures, Oaminal, Diego Ty and Party-list Rep. Ben Canama will give rewards amounting to P55,000 for top 1, P35,000 for top 2 and P17,000 for top 3 to the police stations in the province who have the highest number of arrest for violations of health protocols in their jurisdictions starting this month of September.
For his part, Tan said out of nine confirmed Delta variants, two are returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) and seven are local cases. The two ROFs are COVID-19 cleared because all ROFs who arrive in Manila will require testing and when they arrive in the province they are already cleared.
The two patients from Bonifacio and from Tangub are admitted to Dona Maria D. Tan Memorial Hospital, the other four are asymptomatic. At present, all the Delta variant cases were swabbed again including their close contacts and they are waiting for their results.
On the isolation facilities in the province, Governor Tan said Project Haven in Oroquieta City has 79-bed capacity and as of now, they have 33 vacant beds. Next week, the province will add 36 beds in Project Haven so they will have a total capacity of 150 and also to support MHARS-MC by next week or two weeks from now.
The governor is hoping that by next week, they can open the Calamba Hospital so that they can add 20 beds. This month, the province also opened the MOPH isolation facility for moderate cases and they have 30 beds in the facility.
Meanwhile, Ty said, “We really need to be united in solving this crisis that we are facing. As a congressman of the first district, I commit to help, support and to work hard so that I can be able to solve the financial concerns of MHARS-MC and also to the provincial officials.”
MisOcc officials target to achieve the early protection, prevention that will reduce the critical patients that will be brought to the hospital.
The officials will also provide assistance to MHARS-MC to sustain the operation of the hospital.
Oaminal committed P20 million, Ty pledged P10 million, Ozamiz Mayor Sancho Fernando Oaminal pledged P10 million worth check, Oroquieta City Lemuel Acosta committed P10-15 million, and Governor Tan and Mayor Jennifer Tan will also give a budget for the operational budget of MHARS-MC.
To prevent and minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus, they agreed to conduct barangay testing to comply with the early detection of COVID, isolation of positive patients, vaccination, and the full operation of the One Hospital Command. (SMRN/PIA-10/Misamis Occidental)
