The Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) has appealed the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) to extend the operations of its Emergency Field Hospital (EFH) until October 2021 after the country recorded an all-time high of 22,366 new cases on August 30.
In a letter to PRC Chairman and CEO Sen. Richard J. Gordon, LCP Executive Director Dr. Vincent Balanag Jr. requested for a two-month extension of the PRC field hospital.
Balanag noted that the LCP hospital has been operating at full capacity for the past two weeks.
Gordon immediately heeded the call for help from LCP, allowing the PRC Field hospital to extend for another 2 months.
“With 22,366 cases reported on August 30, the highest recorded single-day tally since the start of this pandemic, we recognize the importance of the continuity of our service,” Gordon stressed.
He added that PRC’s emergency field hospital gives comfort to the patients knowing that there is a fully “equipped” surge-capacity health facility where they can be assessed and managed immediately.
The EFH at LCP was launched in April to support the hospital in its operation serving as an emergency room extension equipped with basic ward facilities that will cater to mild to moderate cases.
“Hindi na natin hahayaan na may mamatay pa sa labas ng ospital kakaantay, kaagad natin ipinatayo ang mga [We will leave people dying while waiting to be admitted outside the hospital so we immediately put up an] Emergency Field Hospital to give proper medical attention to especially to those who are most vulnerable,” Gordon said.