Bacolod hospital "not Ebola-ready"

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – "We're not ready for Ebola, and we're only 50 percent ready," said Doctor Julius Drilon, chief of the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in this city.

Drilon said health officials here are readying the physical plan like training and awareness of hospital personnel and equipment to handle and manage emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.

Personnel here are prepared to manage if there are any cases, but Drilon said that meeting the standards in handling ebola disease poses a challenge to them. The provincial government will handle the protocol if there are any cases in the province, he added.

Earlier, the provincial government formed the Negros Occidental Provincial Infectious Disease Action and Control Committee will plan program and actions for the prevention and control of infectious diseases including Ebola, H1N1 (swine flu), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona virus  and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.

Provincial health officer Ernell Tumimbang said the committee will formulate and tailor provincial policies and protocols on public health surveillance, prevention and control of infectious diseases and organize a standing source of experts on infectious disease management and control in the province.