Iloilo City mulls modular hospital for Covid patients

Iloilo City plans to put up a modular hospital in Brgy. So-oc, Arevalo to cater Covid-19 patients in the metro and ease its hospital utilization rate.

Mayor Jerry Treñas confirmed on Wednesday that the Department of Health (DOH) has already approved the proposal to put up the facility alongside the city’s quarantine facility in Arevalo district.

“Approved na sang DOH ang aton modular hospital and I talked with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) kag ginahulat na lang nila ang release sang emergency funds,” Treñas said in an interview with the Uswag Patrol program of the city government.

The mayor has requested DPWH to assist the city in the construction of a modular hospital that will exclusively cater to Covid-19 patients in the city.

“I sent a request to DPWH to assist us in the construction of modular hospitals. These temporary medical facilities will help lower our quarantine classification and assist our patients while they recover from the deadly virus,” he said in his previous statement.

The modular hospital which will contain 66 beds will assist Covid-19 positive patients who are residents of the metro and eventually decongest the crowded hospitals.

It will be established in Brgy. So-oc, Arevalo which is also the site of the city’s quarantine facility and off-site dormitory for medical workers.

Through this, the mayor hopes to lower the city’s health care utilization rate (HCUR) and its quarantine status.

“This is different from our quarantine facility as this will be a modular hospital which can cater 66 beds. We have high HCUR and nagapati kita nga paagi sini manubo na aton HCUR kag ang aton quarantine status,” he added.

Currently, the city has been placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until Sept. 30. (ERS)