Preparations are underway for the construction of an off-site modular hospital for the treatment of moderate COVID-19 cases.
Secretary Mark A. Villar said that he has been working closely with the Department of Health (DOH) for the construction of an Off-Site Modular Hospital to ensure enough and timely infrastructure support in the fight versus COVID-19.
Secretary Villar ordered Undersecretary and head of DPWH Task Force to Facilitate Augmentation of Local and National Healthcare Facilities Emil K. Sadain to spearhead the setting up of Off-Site Modular Hospital at Quezon Institute in E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue, Quezon City.
Undersecretary Sadain together with DOH Undersceretary Leopoldo Vega and members of DPWH Task Force namely Bureau of Design Director Aristarco Doroy, Bureau of Maintenance Director Ernesto Gregorio Jr., Bureau of Construction Director Eric Ayapana and Assistant Director Edgardo Garces, recently conducted site validation at Quezon Institute where five (5) modular hospitals with total bed capacity of 110 will be build within five (5) months.
Each modular hospital facility made of fabricated components will be able to accomodate 22 patients.
To protect and limit spread of contamination, the modular hospital has specific room for the donning or putting on of health care professionals’s personal protective equipment (PPE) such as disposable gowns, gloves and shoe covers and area for doffing or taking off of PPEs.
The field modular hospital will also have separate nursing station, equipment laboratory, pantry, storage, cctv lines & monitoring board.
This concept came out from the initiative of DPWH Task Force with beds intended for COVID-19 patients in both government and private hospitals in Metro Manila nearly overwhelmed or about to reached full capacity due to the surge of new cases.
Two (2) offsite dormitories will be also constructed within Quezon Institute compound as temporary shelter for some 64 health workers who will be manning the hospital operations.
The DOH will provide the appropriate medical electro-mechanical apparatus and operate this health isolation and treatment facilities jointly with the QI medical team.