DOH NCR hospitals activate surge capacity plan as leptospirosis cases rise

The Department of Health has ordered the activation of the surge capacity plan in hospitals under its supervision in the National Capital Region due to the increasing number of leptospirosis cases.

According to a ''24 Oras Weekend'' report by Vonne Aquino on Saturday, there were already 1,444 leptospirosis cases in the country as of July 27.

The administration of San Lazaro Hospital has already assigned their air-conditioned private rooms to a leptospirosis ward and converted the beds in their compound hospital into an ER extension for suspected cases.

“Ang problema po namin sa ngayon is kulang po kami sa doktor,” said San Lazaro Hospital Chief Medical Professional Staff Dr. David Suplico.

(Our problem right now is that we don’t have enough doctors.)

Meanwhile, the National Kidney and Transplant Institute has opened a new ward for leptospirosis patients.

Nurses from the Bicol Medical Center and the Philippine Orthopedic Center also volunteered to assist patients.

The number of admitted patients due to leptospirosis has gone down, but the NKTI said that it was not yet time to relax.

“We also were able to transfer about 8 patients to Tala Hospital, so nakatulong din yun (so that also helped),” said NKTI Deputy Executive Director for Medical Services Dr. Romina Danguilan.

“This is a very critical period, so hindi pa siguro masyadong bababa. It will remain siguro about 10 a day,” she added.

(This is a very critical period, so it might not go down yet. It will possibly remain about 10 a day.) — Jiselle Anne Casucian/VBL, GMA Integrated News