ANGELES CITY – The Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center (RLMMC) or more popularly known as the Ospital Ning Angeles (ONA) is conducting regular swab tests for its medical staff handling COVID-19 patients.
According to Dr. Froilan Canlas, this is done in order to continuously monitor the health of the hospital’s medical staff, and to ensure the hospital’s readiness when it comes to accepting COVID-19 patients.
“Ginagawa natin yung swab tests for our medical staff na nag-come in contact with COVID-19 patients every 2 weeks to make sure maayos kalusugan nila at walang COVID-19 symptoms na mag-mamanifest sa kanila,” Canlas said.
“Importante na ma-monitor natin yung health conditions ng mga medical staff natin para magawa rin nila ng maayos yung trabaho nila,” he added.
RLMMC has reportedly been doing this, even before Angeles City Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. has instructed all hospitals to provide temporary housing, free food, regular swab tests, and Special Risk Allowance (SRA) to medical staff assigned to COVID-19 wards.
“Pinulong ko po noong nakaraang Huwebes, August 6 ang pamunuan ng mga ospital sa ating syudad upang pag-usapan ang maayos na koordinasyon at kahandaan nila sa pagtanggap ng mga pasyente na may COVID-19,” Mayor Lazatin said.
“Dapat makipagtulungan ang mga hospital sa city government at siguraduhin na nasusunod ang mga itinakdang safety at health protocols,” Lazatin reiterated.
This after the city’s total number of COVID-19 cases spiked to 115 – with 24 new cases being reported in just a span of 4 days.
Furthermore, Mayor Pogi Lazatin warned hospitals against violating the government’s regulations when it comes to COVID-19.
“Ang sinumang ospital na hindi sumusunod sa mga protocol na ito ay irereport ng city government sa Department of Health at Inter-Agency Task Force para mapatawan ng karampatang parusa,” he stressed.
To date, ONA is already at full capacity with 12 active COVID-19 patients admitted.