An official of the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) highlighted the proper donning and doffing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) by the healthcare workers in hospitals as a crucial way to protect the workers from getting infected.
SPMC Chief of Medical Professional Staff Dr. Ricardo Audan admitted during the One Davao on COVID 19 Virtual Presser yesterday that despite the provision of high quality PPEs for the healthcare workers and implementing strict health protocols, there are still SPMC frontliners who were tested COVID-19 positive.
“When we wear the PPE, we need to be very careful and we need to disinfect. Donning and doffing of the PPE must be done properly,” Audan said.
The SPMC official said that the hospital must have a “spotter” to check if every movement is done properly and that the removal of the PPE does not expose the worker from acquiring the virus.
Audan also stressed that workers also need to be diligent in following precautionary measures especially if they are transferred to their accommodation or the facility where they undergo another 14-day quarantine.
In the DOH Media Briefing yesterday, Dr. Takeshi Nishijima from the World Health Organization said that wearing PPEs is not enough to protect health workers.
“They also need to be trained how to properly use it and take it off because they can be contaminated when removing it.”
In the SPMC released data as of May 23, there are 28 SPMC employees who tested COVID-19 positive. This is out of the 1,247 employees who were tested and got their result.
Of the 28 confirmed cases of SPMC employees, 13 are doctors, 7 are nurses, 6 are administrative aide. There had been 15 employees already discharged. Eight are doctors, 5 are nurses, and 2 are administrative staff.
Four employees are currently admitted at the SPMC. There are seven healthworkers currently admitted in other COVID facilities in Davao City. (PIA XI/Frances Mae Macapagat)