Nine NegOcc hospitals brace for the holidays

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – A provincial government executive said that the nine hospitals in Negros Occidental are prepared for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Dr. Mary Ann Maestral, chief of the hospital of the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City, stressed that in connection with the Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations, all the nine provincial government-managed hospitals have been placed under ‘Code White.’

Maestral further said that the preparations of the Hospital Operations Department (HOD) have already been initiated since November.

She also said that the hospital personnel are ready for any emergencies on Christmas and New Year’s Day.

The district hospitals are also prepared for the post-New Year festivities during the first week of the next year, Maestral said.

Maestral further said that the next two weeks after the New Year festivities are very crucial since all the effects of the yuletide season celebration will be felt by the hospitals.

She also pointed out that while they noted a reduction in firecracker injuries in the past years, they observed many cases of myocardial infarction (MI) or heart attack and asthma, as Intensive Care Units are always full of such patients.

The Department of Health Western Visayas in an advisory declared Code White Alert in relation to the yuletide season celebration, which took effect from December 20 until January 4 next year.