Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman and CEO, Senator Richard Gordon has invited more healthcare workers to join their PRC Emergency Covid-19 Field Hospitals (EFH) they are now setting up, to monitor mild to moderate or recovering Covid-19 positive patients, that will free more emergency rooms in hospitals for more critical patients.
Recently, PRC put up 18 air-conditioned tent ‘hospitals’ to serve as surge facilities of the Lung Center of the Philippines, eight of which can admit a total of 100 patients.
PRC will equip the EFH with patient monitoring equipment such as pulse oximeters, mobile X-ray machines, ECG machines, and cardiac monitors.
“We will put up additional tents if needed, but even if we add more beds if we lack doctors and nurses, our healthcare system is indeed under siege,” Gordon said in an interview.
“What I want is to have medic volunteers. If we would train minders for one to two weeks, whatever their background is, we can test them to help in monitoring patients while they are in full personal protective equipment. Even 18 years old can help,” he added in mixwd Filipino-English.
To minimize the exposure of healthcare workers and to ensure their welfare while stationed at the EFH, the PRC has set up a PPE donning and doffing area, portable hand washing stations in all work areas, and staff quarters each with a pantry.
Gordon also urged the government to provide support to potential volunteers and prioritize their vaccination so they can immediately take care of patients.
“We’re going to win this fight if everybody helps. That’s why while we are putting more hospital beds, we are also reinforcing our volunteers),” he stressed.
Gordon said the PRC is also trying to secure other areas for more EFH deployment.