COVID-19 Patients Refused At Abra Provincial Hospital

ABRA  – Abra’s dismal public health services has finally shown its ugly head after Abrenians maybe suffering from COVID19 are being denied admission at the state-owned Abra Provincial Hospital (APH).
“Ang number one challenge namin dito ay yung (APH). They are not admitting yung mga dapat ma-admit na
COVID cases,” said Department of Health-Abra Development and Management Officer Dr. Alex Bayubay over at an online press briefing Tuesday.
Though Abra governor Ma. Jocelyn Bernos belied Bayubay’s claim. “We don’t refuse PUIs even if with severe symptoms. We are just following the algorithm of DOH that confirmed cases should be admitted to Level 2 or 3 hospitals.” She insisted that they had not been refusing PUIs.
“Yung mga PUIs based on Municipal Health Offices’ assessment are not admissible.”
In fact, the governor said, “may mga walk-ins sa (APH) na PUMs.” Severe PUIs are referred to level 2 hospitals because “we don’t not have ventilators”.
Dr. Bayubay has pointed out lack of medical personnel is prompting the refusals because medical personnel are refusing to attend to their hospital duties because they are “afraid”, especially “job order” personnel.
He also noted that most are complaining about the discrimination they are experiencing from the community. “Nagkakaroon na kasi ng stigma, nilalayuan na daw sila,” he explained.
The DOH official said they referred the two COVID-19 patients in the province, including those showing with moderate to severe symptoms, still to hospitals outside the province.
He added that PUIs with mild symptoms are in their homes under strict quarantine and monitoring by rural health units.
“Ang apela po naming sa publiko sana po huwag naman nilang tignan ang mga health workers natin ng ganun dahil isipin po nila na ang mga health workers natin are risking their safety and their lives para makapagservisyo sa mga tao, for consideration ay huwag naman sana po ganun ang tingin nila,” Bayubay appealed.
Abra recorded the first COVID-19 patient in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), who according to Bayubay, has already tested positive and can go home now from the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center (ITRMC) in La Union. The DOH official said the patient would remain in strict quarantine upon returning from the hospital. Another patient was referred to the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center and confined here.
On March 14, Gov. Bernos imposed a total lockdown in the province after confirming the first case. The LGU set up a quarantine area in Tangadan, San Quintin town for those who were traveling back to Abra. Recently, the governor reiterated that Abrenios who are outside the province should stay where they are.
DOH-Cordillera Regional Director Dr. Amelita Pangilinan said the Abra local government and health officials met after the discovery of the first confirmed case. But she laments, “siguro I can understand na hindi sila prepared [in the first case] but when they had the second case hindi na naman sila nag-admit that was actually the cause of my stress during the pass days kasi kawawa ang mga taga-Abra, hindi sila pwedeng ma-admit sa provincial hospital.”
Pangilinan reiterated that at first, the APH cited their lack of personal protective equipment (PPEs) for denying admission of COVID cases. “We were actually to deliver PPEs sana, then the next ay sinabi na nila na wala daw health workers. I do not know kung kami ba ang in-charge doon or DILG to call the attention of the LGU.” she said.
The APH has just received its permit to operate from the DOH at least two-months before the Luzon-wide quarantine after a long lull of its operations that had been inviting lots of complaints from its supposed beneficiary-clients.
Gov. Valera-Bernos elder sister, Dr. Ma. Christina Valera-Cabrera, who heads the APH, had kept silent on the issue.
Dr. Pangilinan added she already talked with Gov. Bernos, who in turn promised to look for a place to commit COVID-19 patients while also swearing to plug the lack of health personnel problem.
“Siguro we have to give them more time to find a place. They are contemplating a place in La Paz, to make a COVID hospital.”
Artemio A. Dumlao/ABN
 

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