BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – The Bacolod Queen of Mercy Hospital (formerly Bacolod Our Lady of Mercy Specialty Hospital) in Mandalagan has agreed to dedicate its entire South Wing – consisting of 34 rooms – for exclusive use of indigent patients referred by the LGU with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms.
Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, in a press statement, lauded the Sangguniang Panglungsod for approving and ratifying yesterday, 22 April, a contract between the city and hospital, which was done “to meet the urgent need for a medical facility dedicated for PUIs coming from indigent families, and to supplement the bed capacity of the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) and other private hospitals for such cases”.
The wing dedicated for indigents with COVID-like symptoms will be called the Bacolod City Respiratory Referral Center (BCRRC).
The LGU will provide additional equipment including 17 patient beds, one portable x-ray, one ECG machine, one defibrillator, one E-cart, one video laryngoscope, among others as well as PPEs and testing kits.
Though the equipment will continue to be owned by the City, these shall be made available for the free use of the hospital, the press statement said.
Medical, nursing, utility and administrative staff for the BCRRC will also be provided by the hospital, which will remain as their employer.
For its part, the City will provide its own city-paid 10 registered nurses to work the third shift every 14 days. Payroll and other employee benefits shall be the respective responsibility of the hospital or the LGU, the statement further said.
“We are deeply grateful to the owners and management of the Bacolod Queen of Mercy Hospital, Inc. led by its Chairperson Dr. Evangeline Johnson and President Dr. Lucho Giovanni Giron for generously coming forward and offering their South Wing to us as part of their social responsibility during this COVID-19 crisis. This is private sector contribution at its best,” the mayor added.
Leonardia recognized the efforts of City Administrator Em Ang, City Legal Officer Atty. Joselito Bayatan, and Secretary to the Mayor lawyer Edward Joseph Cuansing.
“This contract would not have been realized without the dogged work of these three officials,” Leonardia said.
The mayor also acknowledged the council and Vice-Mayor El Cid Familiaran, calling their contribution “teamwork in action”.
