Lung Center needs 200 health workers

MANILA, Philippines — The Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) in Quezon City needs at least 200 medical frontliners for its new COVID-19 facility as the hospital braces for a possible surge in infections due to the Delta variant.

LCP spokesman Dr. Norberto Francisco said they have asked the Department of Health (DOH) for additional manpower for the medical facility, which will start operations next month.

The facility, built out of shipping containers, has 88 beds for COVID-19 patients with moderate symptoms and 20 beds for severe cases.

Among the healthcare workers the LCP needs are nurses, nursing aides, radiology technicians, medical technologists, pharmacists and nutritionists.

Francisco said they are preparing for a possible spike in COVID-19 patients due to the highly infectious Delta variant.

Of the 29 COVID patients in the intensive care unit of LCP, Francisco said 21 are in critical condition. The hospital has 40 beds for severe cases.

Francisco said they need more health workers if they would increase their bed capacity for COVID-19 patients.

“Kahit marami kang hospital beds, kung walang personnel hindi mo mapapatakbo,” he said.

Francisco pointed out that COVID-19 patients need extra attention, including at least 10 intravenous lines for medications and regular supply of oxygen.