IN ANTICIPATION of possible emergency cases, the Department of Health (DOH) has raised the Code White Alert in areas where the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games will be held.
In a statement, DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III said that they have already raised the Code White Alert and will remain as such until December 12.
“Code White Alert has been raised by the DOH in its hospitals in the regions of Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, MiMaRoPa, and the National Capital Region (NCR),” said Duque.
In addition, the health chief said other public health facilities near game venues, such as those under local government units, and other agencies, like the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, and Bureau of Fire Protection, as well as private hospitals, shall be ready to respond to health emergencies.
Under Code White Alert, the DOH assures the readiness of hospital manpower like general and orthopedic surgeons, anesthesiologists, internists, operating room nurses, ophthalmologists, and otorhinolaryngologists, to respond to any emergency situation.
Also during Code White Alert, emergency service, nursing and administrative personnel residing at the hospital dormitory shall be placed on an on-call status for immediate mobilization.
Aside from readying established health facilities, Duque said they have also deployed a total of 143 health emergency response teams.
He said they will be stationed in all major event venues and shall stand ready to respond to any emergency situations.
In particular, he related that health emergency response teams have been deployed at New Clark City Sports Complex (56 teams), Subic Bay Freeport (32 teams), Metro Manila (32 teams), Southern Luzon (21 teams), and La Union (2 teams).
“Rest assured that the DOH medical teams are ready to assist in case of any emergency but we are still hoping for a disaster-free and injury-free competition,” Duque said.
Today (Saturday), the biennial athletic meet is set to officially open and will run until December 11.
The 30th SEA Games will be gathering around 10,960 athletes and team officials, and about 2,800 organizing personnel. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)