Hospitals scrap plea for military docs, nurses as infections drop

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 7, 2021): Hospitals scrap plea for military docs, nurses as infections drop (By Priam Nepomuceno)

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The decline in cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) has prompted some hospitals in Metro Manila to cancel their request for military medical personnel, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Wednesday night.

"Mayroon pong magandang balita, Mr. President, dahil nag-cancel na 'yung St. Luke’s at bumaba raw 'yung kanilang kaso ng mga naospital. Initially, mayroon silang request na isang doktor at saka five nurses pero ayaw na nilang tanggapin 'yun (We have good news, Mr. President, as St. Luke's (in Quezon City) cancelled their request their augmentation request for medical military personnel as their Covid-19 cases went down. Initially, they have a request for one doctor and five nurses, but now they cancelled them)," Lorenzana told President Rodrigo Duterte during his Talk to the People.

Lorenzana, also the chairperson of the National Task Force against Covid-19, said the San Juan de Dios Hospital in Pasay City also scrapped its request for military medical personnel.

Meanwhile, Lorenzana said the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City has requested an extension of the deployment of the eight military medical personnel at the facility which is set to end on October 30.

"At ang gusto pa nila ay humihingi sila ng isang doktor at dalawang nurses na ibibigay naman ng ating (Armed Forces of the Philippines) Surgeon General (They are also asking for one more doctor and two nurses, which was already approved by our Surgeon General)," he added.

Lorenzana said they are also waiting for feedback from the Sta. Teresita General Hospital in Quezon City on whether it will push through with its request for personnel augmentation.

Last month, Duterte appealed to the medical personnel of the police and the military to help hospitals that are struggling with the surge of Covid-19 cases.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1155901