The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has started the construction of temporary dormitories for healthcare workers at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City.
Secretary Mark Villar said that the proposed “We Heal as One Offsite Dormitory” by the DPWH Task Force to Facilitate Augmentation of Local/National Health Facility located at Quezon Memorial Circle is a much-needed facility for healthcare workers to recharge the mind and body after a strenuous day at the frontlines of the battle to contain the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
In his report to Villar, Undersecretary Emil Sadain said the inspection of the proposed actual sites for the planned six (6) offsite dormitories at the Quezon Memorial Circle was conducted on May 30, 2020 by the DPWH Task Force to Facilitate Augmentation of Health Facility together with representatives from the Quezon City local government.
“The offsite dormitories are intended for the medical personnel of East Avenue Medical Center, Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Veterans Memorial Medical Center and V. Luna Medical Center.”
Sadain said the offsite dormitories for medical personnel are intended for medical personnel of the East Avenue Medical Center, Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, V. Luna Medical Center and other hospital workers.
“It is important to give high priority in addressing the need for accommodation facilities of medical personnel to ensure their safety and efficiency in the delivery of their health services.”
While the DPWH has contributed to the national government efforts of building quarantine facilities by converting public buildings and spaces into COVID-19 ‘We Heal as One Centers’ for the isolation and treatment of patients, it is also important to give high priority in addressing the need for accommodation facilities of medical personnel to ensure their safety and efficiency in the delivery of their health services, the public works official stressed.
On instructions of the public works chief, the DPWH Task Force headed by Undersecretary Sadain has earlier presented and discussed with Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte the concept and prepared plans for the setting up of purpose-built dormitories made of collapsible components to temporarily house medical doctors and hospital staff.
The City Mayor expressed her full support to the DPWH initiative of building off-site dormitories at Quezon Memorial Circle which is proximate to major hospitals in Quezon City that are dealing with COVID-19.
Based on the design plans prepared by the DPWH Task Force, a one-story dormitory can have 16 rooms with separate toilets by joining together assembled two 40-foot modular containers on both left and right sides with the middle space for common dining and separate space for laundry and kitchen area at the end.
A one (1) off-site dormitory can accommodate 32 medical personnel who will be spared from spending travel time between the hospital and their homes for a short rest.
Once no longer needed, the temporary dormitories can then be disassembled and each of the components can be safely stored by the DPWH and used for other related requirements such as for temporary shelter during disaster/calamity response.