The Governor Roque B. Ablan Sr. Memorial Hospital (GRBASMH) is limiting the number of visitors in its Out Patient Department (OPD) to ensure that minimum health protocols are strictly observed.
Dr. Walberg Samonte, officer-in-charge of the GRBASMH, said Thursday that as part of the contingency plan of all hospitals in the province, they have regulated OPD services and set a limit on the number of patients per day.
“Initially, we have imposed 20 patients at the OPD but since there are patients who even come from afar such as in Bangui and Pagudpud, we reassessed and we were able to increase the number to 30,” Samonte said.
Since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the different hospitals in Ilocos Norte unanimously agreed to minimized person to person contact. The provincial hospital has also established a triage where patients have to pass through choke points with only one entrance and exit.
“At the entrance, you will be asked for general information if you have history of travel or exposure to someone with Covid-19. They will get your vital signs,” he said.
At the OPD, Samonte said only pedia and ob-gyne patients are allowed on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. For pediatrics, he said they have set schedules for well babies with schedule for immunization in the morning and sick babies in the afternoon.
Consultations for internal medicine are set on Mondays and Thursdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
“For the safety of medical front-liners assigned at the infectious disease section, the provincial hospital has also imposed one-week straight duty for them and then isolate at the hospital. On the fifth day in isolation, they will undergo RT-PCR (Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) before they can go home if their test result is negative,” he added.
For women who are on the 37th week of pregnancy, Samonte said they are required to undergo RT-PCR and if it yields positive result, they will be directed to the emergency room for infectious diseases. If it turns out negative, the patient will be assigned to the non-infectious section. (PNA)
