Two coronavirus disease (COVID-19) isolation facilities were recently completed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and were handed-over to the local government units (LGUs) of Dagami, Leyte and Nueva Valencia, Guimaras Province.
Public Works and Highways Secretary and isolation czar Mark Villar announced the completion of the facilities, which are part of the nationwide program of the Department to augment hospital beds and contain the spread of COVID-19.
“We are happy to announce that two new facilities were turned-over in Visayas – one is the 32-bed capacity isolation facility located in Barangay Sampao East Poblacion, Dagami; and another one is in Nueva Valencia, Guimaras with 45-bed capacity,” Villar said.
“Both of these isolation facilities are fully-equipped and follow the standard design to ensure safety and comfort of our beneficiaries. These are designed to prevent further transmission of the virus.”
“Both of these isolation facilities are fully-equipped and follow the standard design prepared by DPWH Task Force to Facilitate Augmentation of Local and National Health Facilities to ensure safety and comfort of our beneficiaries. These are designed to prevent further transmission of the virus,” the public works chief.
The quarantine facility in Dagami, Leyte, which is the 18th modular hospital completed in Eastern Visayas, is made from a cluster of container vans that have been successfully converted to an isolation facility.
“Two more isolation facilities in Catbalogan, Samar are underway.”
DPWH Region 8 Director Nerie Bueno said that two more isolation facilities in Catbalogan, Samar are underway. Ongoing projects are targeted to be finished by the end of October.
In Region 6, the recently turned-over facility is an existing Regional Evacuation Center Building in Nueva Valencia, Guimaras which was converted to 45 units individual isolation cubicles inside the main building of the evacuation center furnished with bed, table and chair, trash bin and individual lighting system.
The facility is intended for use of locally stranded individuals (LSIs) coming back to the province, suspected COVID-19 patients as well as confirmed cases.
Other than isolation cubicles, DPWH also provided nurse stations and office working areas for nurses and medical practitioners who will be assigned to look after the patients, including mess hall and room for medical supplies.
According to Region 6 Director Lea Delfinado, seven more facilities and off-site dormitories under Cluster 1 costing P84.15 million; 6 facilities under Cluster 3 amounting to P822.17 million; and 5 facilities under Cluster 4 in the amount of P66.82 million are currently being undertaken by DPWH Regional Office 6, situated in various areas in the region and most of them are nearing completion.