Official debunks claim all facilities full

ALL efforts are currently underway to further improve the services including after-care being offered to Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel and their dependents currently undergoing treatment at the different Camp Crame quarantine facilities on orders of General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar, the director of the PNP Health Service said Wednesday even as he dismissed reports that all their treatment centers are already jampacked with patients.

PNP-HS director, Brigadier Gen. Antonino R. Cirujales said that while they are praying and hoping that the number of COVID-19 cases in the PNP won’t increase anymore, he would like to debunk a report that their treatment facilities in Camp Crame have reached full capacity saying that 192 of the total 362 beds in these facilities are occupied as of press time and that there are 180 available beds at all. He described the report ‘as exaggerated and devoid of facts.’

He added that the 55-bed capacity Kiangan Quarantine Facility have 51 patients composed of 25 Police Commissioned Officers, eight Police Non-Commissioned Officers, six Non-Uniformed Personnel, a civilian and 11 dependents. The patients have been classified as symptomatic with mild to moderate cases.

The facility at the Camp Crame tennis court have 18 asymptomatic patients, all PNCOs. The facility still has 87 available beds.

On the other hand, the 22-bed capacity Poolside Treatment Area have five symptomatic patients with mild to moderate cases. They include a PCO and four NUPs. It still has 17 available beds.

The 32-bed capacity Provident treatment facility have 29 symptomatic patients with mild to moderate cases. They include 24 PNCOs and 3 NUPs.

The 40-bed capacity Taekwondo facility have 35 (two PCOs, 26 PNCOs, 5 NUPs and two civilians) symptomatic patients with mild cases .

The 96-bed capacity Basketball Court facility have 43 confirmed symptomatic patients with mild cases. They include 41 PNCOs, and 2 NUPs. Fifty-three beds in the area are unused.

Meanwhile, the 12-bed DETAH treatment facility have 11 patients composed of 9 PCOs, 1 PNCO and 1 Civilian.

Brig. Gen. Cirujales said that as of press time, 192 of the 362 treatment beds in Camp Crame are occupied. “We still have 180 available beds all in all but are praying that the number of patients won’t increase anymore,” he said.

As of Wednesday, the PNP has already recorded 110 COVID-19 fatalities in the force since March last year. Gen. Eleazar said that they also recorded an additional 229 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the PNP bringing the total number of police personnel who have contracted the virus to 37,566 since March last year.

The PNP-HS is also monitoring a total of 2,685 ‘active COVID-19 cases.’

The same unit however recorded 189 new recoveries raising the total number of PNP personnel who have recovered from the sickness and are now back to full duty status to 34,771 since last year.

“Sa ating mga pulis, dobleng pag-iingat pa rin ang gawin kahit kayo ay kumpleto na ng bakuna lalo na ang mga nasa frontline,” he said as he ordered an inventory of medical supplies needed by the PNP in addressing the needs of their men specifically those stricken by the virus.

Gen. Eleazar said that as of yesterday, a total of 124,758 or 56.02 percent of the PNP’s total strength are already fully vaccinated while 85,877 or 38.56 percent have already received their 1st dose of the anti-COVID-19 vaccine and waiting for their 2nd jab.

The PNP chief said that as of press time, 12,076 or 5.42 percent of the entire police strength are still to be inoculated.

Acting on orders of the PNP chief, the PNP-HS has also maintained its policy regarding the ‘No COVID-19 positive patients’ in the PNP General Hospital’s emergency room.

To do this, COVID-19 patients need to be immediately transferred for isolation to the Kiangan Emergency Treatment Facility (KETF) specifically in their Triage 2 located at the swimming pool area in Camp Crame.

At present, PNP-HS doctors and nurses are catering to COVID-19 cases among PNP personnel, their dependents and other civilians described as mild, moderate and severe.

As part of their health precautionary measures, Camp Crame hospital staff are diligently referring the transfer of patients to the One Hospital Command.

Patients with COVID-19 symptoms waiting for the result of their RT-PCR tests are also segregated from the ER. Hospital staff are also strictly observing infection protocols while catering to extreme emergency cases involving patients without RT-PCR prior to their transfer to the Philippine International Convention Center facility, other PNP quarantine facilities as well as Local Government Unit facilities.

As of last yesterday, PNP Deputy Chief for Administration and concurrent PNP Administrative Support for Joint COVID-19 Task Force commander, Lieutenant Gen. Joselito M. Vera Cruz said there are a total of 147 PNP-owned and managed isolation quarantine facilities.

The official said there are also a total of 676 other facilities nationwide where COVID-19 patients can be quarantined.

Lt. Gen. Vera Cruz said these facilities have a total of 6,301 beds although only 487 of them are being occupied by COVID-19 patients.

The National Capital Region Police Office under Major Gen. Vicente D. Danao Jr. has a total of 1,181 isolation beds with at least 240 of them occupied at present.

The PNP leadership expressed belief that the number of COVID-19 positive policemen may rise amid their all-out efforts to ensure the testing of all its personnel nationwide. The program is being supervised by the ASCOTF.