DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio bared on Monday, April 27, that the City Government is now coordinating with three private hospitals to be designated as coronavirus disease (Covid-19) referral hospitals.
Duterte-Carpio said the City Administrator’s Office will release formal letters to these hospitals, which she opted not to be named for now.
The mayor said these hospitals will serve as a “reserved Covid-19 private hospitals.”
“In the event nga magkulang ang facilities sa SPMC (Southern Philippines Medical Center) (Should the number of Covid-19 patients exceeds the capacity of SPMC), they would be asked to open as Covid-19 hospitals,” Duterte-Carpio said in a radio interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
She said SPMC, being the only accredited Covid-19 hospital in the city, is still capable of catering Covid-19 patients for now although she cannot tell if there is a need for these private hospitals to operate immediately.
“But ginaingnan ta pirmi sa mga mga doctors (But the doctors always remind us) that we prepare for a worst-case scenario, so that is why we need to do this nga magselect ta og (to select) private hospitals being designated Covid-19 hospitals,” Duterte-Carpio said.
The mayor earlier issued Executive Order (EO) 20-A, prohibiting private hospitals from accepting suspected Covid-19 patients and those who are confirmed cases.
This was done to contain the virus and for easier detection and monitoring.
Meanwhile, Covid-positive patients who will be admitted by private hospitals will be subsidized first by PhilHealth to their extent financial capacity, the mayor said.
She added the city will discuss with the private hospitals on how the local government could financially assist them.