Koronadal City—In the last 52 years, the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital stood tall and proud in serving the province despite the challenges of funds and the present problems of the COVID pandemic.
Dr. Conrado Braña, Hospital Chief, said the foundation anniversary celebration was put aside because of the increasing number of COVID in the province.
“All our activities are done virtually to remember the hard work, dedication, and compassion of our team in serving the public,” Braña said.
Employees of SCPH spearheaded a mass at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Seminary yesterday. Braña said OLPHS is an active partner of the provincial hospital because of the regular apostolic ministry of the OLPHS seminarians.
As part of the celebration, online contests like Tic-Tac-Talk showed a COVID-resiliency music presentation focusing on health worker’s sentiments and advocacies while Double Jive to Life, a virtual dance expression, released depression and acceptance of good vibes among health workers.
“Our situation now is depressing and it gained toll on our staff at the hospital,” Braña said. He explained that health workers are tired and stressed not because that the facility is undermanned, but because of fear of acquiring the disease at the workplace.
The provincial hospital logged a 142 percent bed occupancy. Twenty-nine percent of this are COVID-related patients. At present, there are eight patients at the COVID ward while at least 20 COVID-suspected patients are at the holding area. Seven of them turned out positive with the COVID virus, recently. Four are in the COVID intensive care unit, he said.
Hospital records revealed that COVID-related cases decreased this August compared to the last few months.
However, he said that some of the doctors, nurses, and nursing attendants were tested positive but, “it does not hamper our operations.”
“We employ strategies to fill in the gaps while some of our staff are quarantined,” he pointed out.
The Provincial Government of South Cotabato rented two hotels as quarantine facilities for COVID-positive medical workers and employees of the Capitol.
The provincial hospital-employed 600 health workers at present.
