HOSPITALS in Davao Region are readying mechanical ventilators, oxygen tanks, and other respiratory equipment as more Covid-19 cases with the Delta variant were detected.
Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) chief Dr. Ricardo Audan said they have sufficient mechanical ventilators and high-flow oxygen nasal cannula.
Based on the SPMC data as of August 9, out of the 49 ventilators for Covid-19 patients, 24 are still available. Out of the 120 ventilators for non-Covid patients, 64 remain available.
For oxygen nasal cannula, 11 out of the 25 intended for Covid-19 patients remain available, while for non-Covid patients, 9 out 12 remain available.
Despite the available supply, Audan said they are preparing more supply as they assured that the city won't experience what happened in India, Cebu, and other parts of the country, wherein there were reported “panic buying” oxygen tanks at pharmacies.
"We had a series of meetings, even with DOH and Mayor Sara [Duterte-Carpio], and I assured them that we will not be like India and Cebu,” the SPMC official said.
Audan said SPMC has two oxygen plants, with six oxygen generators that are fully functional. He said generators can produce 873 tons per day, the max production.
However, due to the daily consumption of 1,123, he said they tied up to other manufacturers for supply.
“Rest assured that SPMC is sufficient to provide oxygens for this because we have two oxygen [manufacturer],” Audan said.
In case there will be a surge in the city, he said they have an upcoming hyperbaric oxygen plant that will open this month, which can produce 300 tons of oxygen tanks.
Audan initially planned that SPMC will supply oxygen tanks to small hospitals in the city. However, he said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) won't allow them since their permit cannot refill supply to other hospitals.
But he said they are still willing to help other hospitals. Prior to the Delta surge, SPMC already offered 10 mechanical ventilators to other hospitals during the surge of cases earlier this year.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio also said they are also supporting the needs of private hospitals, as what DOH told them to prepare.
Duterte-Carpio said the city already distributed personal protective equipment (PPE) as they requested by the private hospitals.
"Naa napud ang mga (There are already the) mechanical ventilators, upat ni sila kabuok (four in total). The recipients are four hospitals. We are already talking about the oxygen tanks that are needed for the surge, and talking about the capacity sa atong (of our) oxygen manufacturer suppliers in case of surge,” the mayor said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
Duterte-Carpio said FDA is currently conducting an inventory of the currently available supply of oxygen tanks in the city.
She also said the city, through the City Economic Enterprise, is currently coordinating with oxygen tank manufacturers on the needed supply of tanks in the city in preparation for a possible surge.
She added that the city is considering creating an oxygen plant, run, and operated by the City Government.
“We are looking into, and we already asked for an estimate on how, what, and how much is needed para sa isa ka (for the creation of an)... oxygen plant,” Duterte-Carpio said. (Kathrine Erlin Maye H. Catayas, NDDU Intern)