Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13) – The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAPi) said some of the minimum health capacity standards set by the Department of Health as a response to the coronavirus pandemic are impossible to reach.
He added that some of the hospitals have already downsized operations due to the ongoing health crisis.
“Kalahati na ng small hospitals sa Batangas nagsasara na,” Jimenez declared. “Hindi na sila tumatanggap ng pasyente dahil walang personnel na magha-handle ng pasyente, ang mga doctor di na pumupunta sa ospital, natatakot.”
[Translation: Half of small hospitals in Batangas are closing down. They no longer accept patients because there are no personnel who will take care of the patients, the doctors do not go to the hospital anymore because of fear.]
Health Secretary Francisco Duque on Wednesday said the government aims to have at least 30 percent additional public and private hospital beds for coronavirus patients in every region. He said there should also be at least one ICU and mechanical ventilator for every 25,000 people in severe or critical areas.
Duque added that each region should also have one biosafety laboratory for the gold standard reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction or RT-PCR tests and at least one dedicated COVID-19 referral hospital, facility, floor, or wing for severe and critical cases.
However, Jimenez said many hospitals either have insufficient funds or lack healthcare workers to expand facilities. He noted that many medical workers are either under quarantine, hospitalized, or unable to report to work due to the lockdown.
”’Yun namang pinangako ng PhilHealth di naman binibigay yung advanced, kaya walang pagkukunan ng kita ang ospital so how can they add 30 percent bed capacity for COVID-19. Imposible ‘yun mangyari,” Jimenez said. “Wala ngang tao e. Sinong mag iintindi sa mga pasyente, kahit sabihing may bakanteng bed pero wala namang tao na mag aalaga sa pasyente.”
[Translation: PhilHealth did not provide the advanced [payments] as promised so the hospital has no source of income so how will they add 30 percent bed capacity for COVID-19. That’s impossible. Even if there are available beds, who will attend to the patients if there are no personnel.]
There are about 900 private hospitals nationwide. Jimenez said majority of those are small hospitals, which cannot afford to buy ventilators.
“Wala nga nun dahil ‘di available sa atin yun,” Jimenez said. “Kung bibigay nilang libre ang ventilators sa mga ospital, syempre pwede. Ang maliliit na hospital cannot afford na bibili sila from abroad pa kasi di naman yan ginagawa dito sa atin.”
[Translation: There are no ventilators because they are not available here. If they will give ventilators to the hospitals for free, of course they can. Small hospitals cannot afford to buy them from overseas because that’s not how it’s done here.”
He said, of all people, the health secretary should be aware of the limitations private hospitals are facing amid the crisis.
“Dapat alam na yan ng Secretary of Health ang magagawa lang sa ospital,” Jimenez said. “Payabang lang yan e, publicity.”
[Translation: The Secretary of Health should know what the hospitals are capable of. He’s just saying that for publicity.]
Jimenez said if the government wants to reach its target, it must provide hospitals with ventilators and additional protective gears. He added that it is better to decentralize donations and allow donors to directly send help to the hospitals for timely and efficient response.
Meanwhile, Jimenez called on PhilHealth for timely payment of claims. The private hospitals group earlier appealed to legislators for tax breaks and incentives.
PHAPi president Dr. Rustico Jimenez told CNN Philippines that many private hospitals lack the manpower and resources to have the required additional beds and enough intensive care units and ventilators in every region.
