BACOLOD CITY – The Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) in this city announced on Friday that the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) ward in its West Tower has been closed indefinitely to give way for the repair of the main sanitary pipeline.
“(This is) to ensure the safety of the patients and the health care workers,” the CLMMRH, headed by Dr. Julius Drilon, medical center chief II, said in an advisory.
It added that the closure of the ward would affect the allocated functional beds and acceptance of Covid-19 patients for admission.
As both the safety and welfare of the patients and the health care workers are the primary concerns of the hospital, the management said it sought the understanding of the public regarding the development, adding that updates would be issued when it becomes operational again.
“Rest assured, the hospital management will re-open the dedicated area for Covid-19 patients as soon as all necessary repairs have been accomplished,” the advisory added.
The CLMMRH, the sole hospital retained by the Department of Health (DOH) in Negros Island, is also the only tertiary government Covid-19 referral hospital in the area.
In a separate statement, the hospital management said it recognizes the efforts of all health care workers who have served all patients in the Covid-19 areas, even putting their safety at risk.
“Despite the financial challenges and lack of manpower, the CLMMRH, together with its employees, continues to relentlessly serve the people of Negros and Bacolod City,” it added.
The CLMMRH also said “there is no border, no politics, no religion, no social classes nor false public beliefs that can hinder us from serving them with compassion and understanding during this time of Covid-19 pandemic.”
“It is our responsibility to inform you of the figures to increase awareness and to encourage every person to practice safety protocols during this pandemic,” the hospital said as the CLMMRH – Hospital Emergency Incident Command System data analytics forecast that infections in Bacolod would be at 130 cases to 160 cases towards the end of June.
Source: Philippines News Agency
