The city government here is fast-tracking the reopening of the new Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) building to accommodate more coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patients as health authorities intensify efforts to prevent further spread of infection.
Yvonne Caña, CCMC administrator, said the hospital management is ready to operate at the new building at the corner of Natalio Bacalso Ave. and Panganiban St. in this city.
“By next week, yes. We had our meeting and I received a marching order (from the city mayor) to make the new CCMC building operational by next week,” Caña said in Cebuano in a press conference Wednesday.
Caña said the hospital staff are preparing for the eventual transfer of operations to the new site from the makeshift hospital at the old structures of the City Traffic Operations Management and Bureau of Fire Protection regional office.
The old four-storey CCMC building was abandoned and later demolished after city engineers found it as dangerous for occupancy after being hit by the Oct. 15, 2013 earthquake.
Despite the destruction of the hospital building, the city government does not stop receiving patients who are housed at the old structures.
In 2015, the construction of the new building was approved by the City Council. On Dec. 28, 2020, the first three floors were partially opened by mayor-on-leave Edgardo Labella and vice mayor now acting Mayor Michael Rama.
The city’s Department of Engineering and Public Works and the two contractors are up for the turnover of the building, Caña said.
CCMC hospital director Dr. Anton Oliver Reposar II said in the same press conference that in response to the increasing Covid-19 cases, they are expanding the facility’s accommodation.
“We open(ed) a new ward that can cater to around 14 patients in addition to previous wards that we set up as Covid isolation ward,” he said.
The city-run hospital facility is taking care of Covid-19 patients who have manifested severe to critical symptoms as mild to moderate cases are being referred for isolation at the Cebu City Quarantine Center in North Reclamation Area.
“More or less, we have 30 patients who have severe to critical symptoms. Usually, they are enduring oxygen saturation in their body. Some of them have comorbidities like unstable blood pressure and in ages between 40-50,” he added.
Reposar, who noted that those who are admitted for severe to critical coronavirus cases are unvaccinated, said the city has enough supply of oxygen after they were able to haul scores of CO2 tanks from the manufacturing plant in San Fernando town.
Meanwhile, Rama urged city residents to get vaccinated following reports that many of those who feel ill and are in hospital due to Covid-19 have not received any brand of vaccines.
“Vaccine protection. Vaccines mitigate the effects of Covid-19 if one gets infected,” Rama said in a statement.
Residents who wished to get vaccinated can visit the website PaBakunaTa.com for master-listing and wait for a message for their inoculation schedule. (PNA)
