Perpetual Succour to treat CCMC’s trauma patients

CEBU, Philippines - Taking into consideration partial operations of the city hospital, constituents suffering from trauma cases may avail of free medical attention at the Perpetual Succour Hospital following an agreement facilitated by CARE CCMC Movement.

Championing the Advancement, Restoration and Establishment of new Cebu City Medical Center (CARE CCMC) lead convenor, surgeon Dr. Shawn Espina, said the sisters managing the private hospital have agreed, albeit in principle, to shoulder treatment of 30 trauma patients per year.

Espina said the social worker of PSH will help in choosing the recipients in cooperation with the city government.

“Before the calamity, CCMC was handling trauma cases averaging 50 patients a day with 12 severe enough to be operated. Now, where do are they going? Vicente Sotto (Memorial Medical Center) is already taking many patients. Most of these patients could not also afford private hospitals. Which is why we asked PSH and they are willing,” Espina told The Freeman.

Before the medical assistance proceeds, the surgeon said PSH will send three doctors to attend special training on Advance Trauma Life Support in Manila so that the trauma center in the hospital can start operating and help Cebu City constituents.

“These doctors will undergo the training from November 29 to 30 for the trauma center to operate. So far, I’m the only Cebuano faculty. By December, the center may be  available. This type of training has long been conducted in the US but it was just recently that it reached the country,” the CARE CCMC lead convenor said.

The PSH management is set to sign a formal Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the city government through the CCMC officials.

Moreover, in view of the recent calamities that struck Cebu and neighboring areas, a private-public command center will be established at the Capitol. The center is “apolitical” and “transcends political borders”, Espina said.

“The CARE CCMC Movement is now working with the Movement for a Livable Cebu and the MCDCB’s project Mega Cebu to come up with a disaster council that will transcend political borders so that we as Cebuanos can better respond to calamities like this. We have agreed in principle to sit down with the province and all other LGUs so we can coordinate our efforts, it might not be too late for the relief effort but certainly it is not too late for rehabilitation and rebuilding efforts,” Espina said.

Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CCDRRMC) operations officer Alvin Santillana welcomed the command center and stressed the importance of strong coordination among private and public stakeholders especially in data exchange and cross-checking.

Also, a unified emergency number is being pushed by the movement for faster response especially in times of calamities like the recent earthquake and typhoon. – (FREEMAN)