Strengthening the healthcare system must come first before anything else.

This was stressed by the Iloilo City Government’s COVID Team spokesperson, Jeck Conlu, as the city shifted to a higher quarantine status due to the increasing cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“Ang ginatan-aw naton diri nga once magka-problema ang healthcare system naton, ma-overwhelm ang aton mga medical personnel, butungon niya gid paidalom ang economy naton,” Conlu said in an interview on IMT Conversations.

But according to Conlu, if the healthcare system is stable, everything else will just follow.

The entire city is currently under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), the second strictest community quarantine classification in the country.

Conlu said it is important that everyone follows all the measures being imposed in the city to contain the spread of the virus.

“Nakita niyo si Mayor Jerry Treñas decisive sya. May ara maapektuhan nga sektor sa every decision nga ginahimo sang city government, sa every decision nga ginahimo sang COVID Team but rest assured, may ara gid na sang mga outcome,” he added.

As of June 13, the city has 2,663 active COVID-19 cases, the highest in the whole Western Visayas region.

Since March last year, the city has 9,423 cumulative cases, of which 6,530 have recovered and 227 have died.

Also, OCTA Research, an organization that provides holistic, and insightful analysis especially on the current pandemic, has reported that the city ranked 8th among the cities in the country with the highest growth rates of new COVID-19 infections.

The DOH-6, meanwhile, classified as high risk the city’s health care utilization rate.

Due to the overwhelming cases and the city hospitals already reaching full capacity for COVID beds, Treñas sought the assistance of the DOH and the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force for augmentation particularly for additional medical personnel.

As response, the DOH-6 hired 38 nurses and deployed them to various hospitals in the city.

The city’s medical response to rising COVID-19 cases also got boost from health workers in uniform who augmented hospitals in the metropolis.

The deployment included 10 nurses of Bureau of Fire Protection at Metro Iloilo Hospital and Medical Center, six nurses of Philippine Coast Guard Western Visayas at The Medical City Iloilo and eight aides of 3ID Philippine Army at Western Visayas Medical Center.

Mayor Jerry Treñas thanked national government agencies for the help in responding to emergency situation.

COVID-19 Focal Person Dr. Roland Jay Fortuna said the augmentation of staff will stay as long as the hospitals need them to cater to and manage COVID patients.

The city government provided board and lodging provision of coast guard and army personnel as support in the continued delivery of much-needed services during the pandemic.

To further boost health personnel capacity, City Hall has also hired 23 additional nurses and 84 nursing aides.

As to the COVID-19 vaccines, Treñas shared that he is in constant communication with IATF chief implementer and vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez and testing czar Secretary Vince Dizon Sec. Vince Dizon for more vaccines for the city considering the situation.

He added that they promised to reallocate more vaccines to cities facing a surge of cases like the city.

“I appeal to everyone to be vaccinated if you have a chance. We also continue to hire medical personnel to be deployed to the hospitals for a period of not less than 2 months. We need to help our health care system so that it will not be overwhelmed,” the mayor said.IMT