March 29, 2024

A 16-bed isolation facility worth P13 million at the Benguet General Hospital is now open to cater to Covid-19 patients from the province.
BeGH Chief Dr. Meliarazon Dulay said the facility will cater to symptomatic, severe, and critical Covid-19 cases while asymptomatic patients will either be referred to quarantine facilities or undergo home quarantine for 14 days.
Dulay said 82 of the current 150 beds are dedicated for Covid-19 patients.
“There are patients from private hospitals who wanted to be accommodated here due to financial constraints,” Dulay said.
The Department of Public Works and Highways turned over the facility to the province during a simple ceremony led by Gov. Melchor Diclas and legislative caretaker Eric Go Yap.
Each unit within the facility has toilet and bath, with one service entry with ramp, nurse station, doffing and donning area, utility/electrical room, and one main entry and one exit.
Diclas said they have also requested the Department of Health to extend its program on hiring health personnel to BeGH and the province’s temporary treatment and monitoring facilities.
DOH-Cordillera Medical Officer IV Dr. Alexei Marrero said the agency has facilitated the request of the province and submitted it to the central office for possible funding.
The DOH program, Deployment of Human Resources for Health, deploys doctors, nurses, midwives, dentists, and other health professionals as a strategy in support to the attainment of Universal Health Care.
Aside from the BeGH isolation facility, the Ambongdolan isolation facility in Tublay is also undergoing inspection while the 42-bed isolation facility in Barangay Ucab, Itogon is still under construction.
The DPWH is currently reviewing other proposed isolation facilities in the province for possible funding. – Ofelia C. Empian