STO. NIÑO Hospital formally reopened its doors for coronavirus disease (Covid–19) patients in Baguio City.
Dr. Willy Occidental, appointed hospital administrator, said the operations of the standby facility funded by the city is ready in case Lindi Hotel, now used as a containment area, reaches its limit.
Occidental said the City Government will hire employees for the operations of the now open hospital and provide for needs of prospective patients with the help and coordination of the Department of Health (DOH) and partner hospitals.
Occidental said the rooms of the facility will be ready with equipment such as ECG machines, ventilators and dialysis machines.
The operating as well as the delivery room may also be used according to the needs which are expected to rise in the coming months.
Occidental said the owners of the former hospital has allowed free use of the facility.
Dr. Adlai Quitiquit, medical director of the Saint Louis University (SLU) Hospital of the Sacred Heart, said documentary requirements as well as the license to operate are being finalized for the full operations of the former hospital.
Quitiquit said the city is to operate the Sto. Niño Hospital with the help of SLU, Pines City Doctors Hospital, Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center and Notre Dame De Chartres Hospital.
Sto. Niño can accommodate 50 patients who have symptoms of Covid-19 with 30 rotational staff comprised of nurses and nursing aids under the city government payroll.
Quitiquit added the facility will only be used if Lindi Hotel becomes full and more patients need to be admitted.
It took the city less than a month to prepare the building, its facilities, manpower and other aspects of the hospital after a community dialog.
The exclusive area will enable the city to segregate suspected Covid-19 patients from non-Covid-19 patients and free the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center and other hospitals from contamination risks.
Doctors and experts on infectious diseases assured the facility will be protected and contained to avoid danger to the community.
The city installed proper solid and liquid waste disposal, fire prevention, sewer, electrical, plumbing and security systems in the building.
Roughly P2 million was spent by the city to refurbish the former hospital with bulk of the cost covered by donations from contractors and private citizens when the need for the hospital’s repair was made public.