KIDAPAWAN CITY, North Cotabato – Plans are underway to create a One Hospital Command Center (OHCC) in the province, an official said Thursday.
In an interview, Dr. Philbert Malaluan, the provincial inter-agency task force (PIATF) spokesperson, said OHCC, once formed, will act as a centralized unit that will accommodate and refer all coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patients in the province to available vacancies and appropriate health facilities.
“This is to shorten the idle period of Covid-19 patients waiting for transfer due to unavailable vacancies at hospitals and temporary monitoring and treatment centers,” he said. “The patient will be referred to the capable facility depending on his condition either moderate, severe, and critical.”
The strategy for the establishment of the OHCC came after a conference called by North Cotabato Governor Nancy Catamco on Wednesday at the provincial capitol here with all stakeholders, including the Department of Health-12, PhilHealth, Philippine Hospital Association-North Cotabato, North Cotabato Medical Society, and some 60 administrators of private hospitals in the province.
Malaluan said the OHCC will mainly conduct daily monitoring of bed occupancy to 46 hospitals and health facilities in the province for possible Covid-19 referrals.
“The OHCC facility will provide standby ambulances to augment the mobility of certain hospitals for the immediate transport of the infected patients,” he said.
Malaluan said they are yet to finalize the whole OHCC system in the province which will be publicly announced soon through an order from the governor.
Meanwhile, Malaluan also presented during Wednesday’s PIATF meeting the extended Covid contingency measures of the provincial government that included the setting up of additional 230 beds for the eight provincial district hospitals and the city hospital here.
Other contingency plans included the construction of operating and delivery rooms, a dialysis center intended for Covid patients; and a high-grade isolation facility at the Cotabato provincial hospital.
Catamco is also set to propose a supplemental budget to fully respond to Covid-19 cases in the province. (PNA)
