Roque denies missed chance to acquire 200 ICU beds amid COVID-19 pandemic

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque denied on Tuesday a newspaper report that the Philippine government passed on a chance to acquire 200 intensive care unit (ICU) beds for COVID-19 patients in October 2020.

Roque was responding to a Philippine Daily Inquirer report which said that the alleged shelving of the project earned the ire of medical doctors as hospitals continued to be swarmed with COVID-19 patients.

“Wala pong katotohanan 'to kasi ang alam ko pong offer ay 200 hospital beds at 15 lang po yung ICU beds na kabahagi sa offer,” Roque said.

(This is not true. What was offered was 200 hospital beds, of which 15 were ICU beds.)

The matter was taken up with Health Secretary Francisco Duque during a Cabinet meeting.

“Walang sigawan. Hindi na-consider kasi kinse lang ang ICU beds at ang pangangailangan talaga natin ay ICU beds,” he added.

(There was no shouting match. It was not considered because what we need more of are ICU beds and the offer only had 15.)

Roque said that public and private hospitals in the country had offered to provide 176 additional ICU beds, and that Duque was leading efforts in securing 200 more ICU beds.

Furthermore, the same project proponent who offered the 200 beds last year was still willing to proceed with the project.

“The same proponent will be presenting a proposal this week,” Roque added.

Metro Manila and the nearby provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, and Laguna were placed under an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from March 29 to April 11 due to hospitals in these areas being overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, with scores of people dying while waiting to be admitted.

The same areas have since transitioned to a modified ECQ, which will last until April 30.

An ECQ bans non-essential trips and shuts down non-essential businesses and services.

While an MECQ still prohibits non-essential trips, it only partially shuts down non-essential businesses and services. — DVM, GMA News