By Fernan Angeles
HOW do we solve the highly infectious COVID-19 scare if we can’t even provide separate beds for every infected patient?
At the Laging Handa press briefing, Secretary Carlito Galvez, the chief implementer of the government’s COVID-19 response, cited the need for funds to address shortage of 40,000 hospital beds to provide medical attention to COVID-19 patients.
Galvez was actually justifying the P4.5 billion budget on the construction of isolation facilities which will accommodate COVID-19 infected individuals.
“Kailangan po magkaroon tayo ng karagdagang hospital beds at saka po ‘yung quarantine, isolation facilities. Sa ano po namin, kailangan po natin lahat-lahat, tinataya po, kailangan po natin ng 42,000 beds para sa lahat po,” Galvez said.
“Kasi ang nakikita po natin, ang active cases noong aming pinag-aralan ay di po tumataas ng more than 60 and then ang kaniyang pinakamababa ay 43,000…” he added.
So far, there are 7,000 available hospital beds in the National Capital Region, according to Galvez.
The national government has banned home quarantine to avoid the transmission of the virus among families and in communities.
As of Wednesday, the Philippines has recorded 311,694 COVID-19 cases, with 253,488 recoveries and 5,504 fatalities.