Manila hospital to shut down

For the next seven days, the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center (Osman) will not be receiving any patients and refer them to other city-owned medical facilities to give way to the rehabilitation of power lines.

"We would like to inform all Manila residents and neighboring cities who will seek medical attention at Osman, that this hospital will be having a total power shutdown on April 12 to 18 for rehabilitation of our main power supply," Osman officials said. "In accordance with this, there will be a total suspension of the hospital operations on the said date.

The hospital apologized for the inconvenience and promised it would resume full operations on April 19.

Osman Administrator Dr. Joyce Chow said they are taking advantage of the Holy Week break to make the necessary repairs on the 37-year-old medical facility.

The influx of patients normally takes place after Holy Week, when many people return from their vacation and schedule medical check-ups.

She said those with chronic illnesses would be transferred and accommodated by other government-run hospitals in Manila City.

They have made arrangements with the Ospital ng Sampaloc Medical Center in Sampaloc district, Ospital ng Tondo Medical Center along Abad Santos Street, and at the Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center in Delpan.

They have temporarily reassigned their doctors to these other hospitals to attend to their patients.