Press Release
October 16, 2009

Villar Urges LGUs to Prepare Alternate Emergency
or Hospital Sites for Patients During Disasters

Nacionalista Party President Manny Villar said the recent typhoons and floods really served as an eye-opener and justify the need to thoroughly review not only the national government's disaster response programs but local governments' emergency preparedness as well.

In particular, Villar is concerned about the number of hospitals that were heavily damaged by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. "Hospitals and medical facilities are very important especially during disasters when their services are badly needed. More than anything, we should ensure that their existing patients and disaster victims would continue to get medical treatment even during a calamity."

Thus, Villar is urging local government units to designate and prepare not only evacuations sites but also alternate medical care facilities where patients can be transferred during calamities or disasters.

Many private as well as government hospitals in Metro Manila and nearby areas suffered heavy damages from floods brought about by typhoon Ondoy such a the medical center in Marikina and San Lazaro Hospital in Manila. Typhoon Pepeng also damaged hospitals in Central and Northern Luzon. It was reported that of the about 10 hospitals in Dagupan, only the Pangasinan Medical Center was spared from the flood.

According to Villar, designating and preparing alternate hospital sites and medical care facilities will help emergency planners and responders where to transfer or take patients during disasters.

"Designating appropriate alternate medical sites or facilities should be prioritized and done ahead of time. We should not wait for another calamity to strike before we act on this. LGUs should prepare these sites and make them operational urgently. This is critical to ensuring the safety and continued medical care for the public even during a disaster," said Villar.

Alternate medical care facilities are locations that can easily and quickly be equipped to augment or replace health care services when hospitals and other traditional medical sites are inoperable due to damage or overwhelmed due to overcapacity. Potential alternate care sites include school classrooms, university campuses, gymnasiums, community centers, health clubs, convention centers or even warehouses.

Villar added that the alternate medical sites or treatment facilities could also be useful not only during an emergency or disaster. According to Villar, "Hospitals that are not damaged but are experiencing overcapacity of seriously ill patients requiring acute care may need to transfer less ill patients efficiently to alternate medical care sites."

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