VSMMC ‘ready’ for Ebola in CV

CEBU, Philippines - With Ebola reaching the country being a possibility, Cebuanos were assured yesterday that the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City is competent in containing the threat.

A VSMMC five-person team that was sent to train in Manila in responding to and handling Ebola patients had already arrived. The training was a joint effort of the Department of Health and the World Health Organization.

Dr. Francis Niño Cañedo of VSMMC assured that with the training and the well-equipped facilities they have, they are capable enough of handling Ebola patients.

He said the team - comprising two doctors, two nurses, and another medical staff - was specifically trained on proper wearing of personal protective equipment and in putting Ebola patients in the communicable disease ward.

“VSMMC is already a tertiary hospital and we are equipped with the necessary facilities needed in responding to an Ebola-affected patient,” Cañedo said, adding that only VSMMC could handle an Ebola patient in the region.

The DOH said private hospitals are also welcome to undergo the same training if they want to and join the next two batches. Training for the last batch is for the medical staff of district hospitals.

Dr. Dino Caing, the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit section head, also reminded the public not to solely thrust rumors. Instead, he said, the public should wait for further news or confirmation from the DOH, through the media.

“Kaning tsismis nga walay confirmation mao ra ba ni sagad sinugdanan sa panic sa publiko,” Caing said.

Recently, a Nigerian national who allegedly showed symptoms of Ebola was discharged from a private hospital where he was confined.

He tested positive of malaria, not Ebola, and is now under medication.

“He showed four symptoms of Ebola but during laboratory tests, he was found negative,” Caing said, declaring that Cebu and the rest of the country are still Ebola-free.—(FREEMAN)