Rock Tubania of the Health and Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) of the Department of Health- Cordillera Administrative Region. (PNA photo by Jimmy Ceralde)
BAGUIO CITY – Hospitals and medical facilities in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) vowed undisrupted operations amid the onset of El NiñO.
Rock Tubania, Health, Emergency and Medical Service officer of the Department of Health (DOH)-CAR said Friday that hospitals and medical facilities are continuing to monitor and make an inventory of their supplies to assure that they can respond to medical emergencies, especially if the number of cases of patients affected by El Niño rise.
“The Central office has issued a department circular detailing the steps to follow in assuring a public service continuity plan and part of that is a regular monitoring and inventory of the supplies to make sure they are not depleted that will cause disruption of the operation and delay in the delivery of medical and health services,” Tubania said in a statement.
State weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has announced the onset of El Niño, with its full effect to be felt by October until the first quarter of 2024.
Among the Cordillera provinces, Benguet has already been feeling the effect of El Niño as early as June.
He said personal hygiene and sanitation might be a big problem as people are expected to suffer from limited to no water at the height of the phenomenon, and this could lead to various illnesses.
The Cordillera Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council had earlier said that Task Force El Niño had been reactivated to ensure the region’s readiness once health, food, energy, and water supply are affected.
Tubania said they are also looking at the possibility of investing in rain harvesting facilities and water filtration systems in hospitals and health facilities to augment the source of water.
“These are also possibilities although they require a big amount of funds, but we are looking at it,” he said. (PNA)
