Eleven individuals were discharged from the Benguet General Hospital on June 25 after recovering from the Covid-19, but they will continue isolation at home for a few more days.
BeGH Chief of Hospital, Dr. Meliarazon Dulay, said most of the 11 discharged individuals are frontline workers such as personnel of the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, and a barangay nutrition scholar (BNS).
One of those that will report for work is 23-year-old BNS Glory Galino of Mankayan, as she was just given a permanent position as a midwife in the municipality.
Galino, who was the first Covid-19 patient of Mankayan, was the first to be sent off from their batch. Mayor Frenzel Ayong surprised her with his announcement during the send-off that she will get a permanent position with the municipal government.
The other survivors are a BNS and a barangay tanod from Itogon, a police officer from La Trinidad, two from Bokod – a police officer and a BFP officer; a driver from Sablan; a vegetable truck driver from Tuba; two police officers from Buguias; and a farmer from Bakun.
Those who recovered were given fruit tree saplings and anthurium tulips to be replanted once they get back to their homes.
Benguet Gov. Melchor Diclas said the plants are a reminder for the recovered patients of their successful ordeal against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Aside from this, the Benguet Congressional District Office also gave each patient a food pack as they journey back home.
All the recovered patients were tested twice and turned out negative of the virus.
Dulay said there are still 11 active cases currently admitted at the provincial hospital. She said three other cases from the province are admitted at Sto. Niño Jesus Hospital in Baguio City since the patients are residents of the city but are deployed in Benguet as police officers.
She said some of the patients with repeat tests have turned out positive of the virus again so their stay at the hospital was extended and repeat tests will be done until the patients yield negative results from Covid-19.
“Although they are saying we can already release them even without repeating the tests, but since I think we have the resources we conduct the tests until they turn out negative, so that when they go back to their communities they will not be discriminated upon,” she said.
Dulay added even if there is a new protocol from World Health Organization that there is no need for re-testing patients and that they can be released after 14 days, BeGH officials still opt to conduct re-testing.
“It’s quite unsettling not to conduct re-testing because of the fear of the community,” Dulay said, adding they have past experiences of some communities discriminating on those who recovered from the virus.
Dulay said provincial government and the Department of Budget and Management paid for the hospitalization of the patients. – Ofelia C. Empian