DAVAO City's temporary treatment and monitoring facilities (TTMFs) utilization rate has already reached 65 percent and is expected to be filled up depending on the turnover of cases.
"Every day, we still look for facilities na pwede natong i-open for TTMFs (that we can open for TTMFs)," Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
Davao City has 3,084 Covid-19 beds and of this number, 2,500 are TTMF/isolation beds. The mayor said 250 more TTMF beds are currently being added to augment the current supply.
Duterte -Carpio also bared that the city's Covid-19 bed capacity is full in all public and private hospitals.
The Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) has catered to patients more than its allotted or prepared beds. The hospital on its official Facebook page said as of September 6, all its intensive care unit beds and ward beds for Covid-19 patients were fully occupied.
She also said the possible extension of the SPMC emergency room to another location is also being eyed. The City Government, SPMC and Department of Health in Davao Region (DOH-Davao) have yet to discuss the plan.
Meanwhile, Duterte-Carpio, during the interview, said they are waiting the request of the Davao Doctors Hospital (DDH) to activate its Covid-19 home care program. Its official guidelines will come from the DOH to also help in the City's Covid-19 response.
"Clearly, there's a need for it right now because there is a surge of Covid-19 cases," she said.
The City Government has already approved the request of DDH Home Care Program for Covid-19 positive patients.
Duterte-Carpio, in a September 7 reply letter to DDH medical doctor Ronald P. Tangente, said, "We hope that through our collective efforts, we may continue to work together and count on your support on our Covid-19 response measures in Davao City."
The mayor said there is a need to further implement response strategies to address the Covid-19 surge as hospitals are currently "overrun by the increasing number of patients every day."
DDH, on its official Facebook page, said its request aims to augment efforts amid the surge in Covid-19 cases that continues to overwhelm the city's healthcare facilities.
"Details and mechanics of the DDH Home Care Program will be posted soon on our official social media channels," said the DDH statement.
Davao City has been placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions status until September 30.
Despite the surge in cases, Duterte-Carpio is not keen on imposing the city under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), although the city may request to elevate the classification status depending on the Davao Covid-19 Task Force's review.
The mayor has asked the health group of the Covid-19 Task Force to review the criteria of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) on the implementation of ECQ amid the city's cases.
"Sa ato sa Covid-19 Task Force, we asked the health group to look into the numbers and see kung pasok ba sya sa (if we fit the) criteria sa (of the) ECQ under the IATF criteria because on our own, we don't have criteria. Nagahatag og community quarantine classification kay ang IATF (The community quarantine classification is being issued by the IATF),� Duterte-Carpio said.
She said the Task Force recommended putting essential workers on a work-from-home (WFH) arrangement, but it was modified to be mandatory only for government offices so as not to disrupt businesses and private offices.
Duterte-Carpio issued Executive Order 44, which ordered the implementation of a fully operational WFH and skeleton workforce arrangement in all barangays, city and national government offices due to the massive Covid-19 surge in the city, which took effect on Wednesday, September 8. (RGL with CIO)