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AUTHORITIES running the six city-run hospitals in the city of Manila were ordered to conduct awareness trainings and drills among their personnel on what they should do in case of an earthquake. Manila Health Department (MHD) head Dr. Grace Padilla, who is also the director of the Ospital ng Maynila (OM), also gave the same directive to those in charge of the 44 health centers in the city. She stressed that the health centers are also expected to be on high alert and prepared during times of calamities and emergency situations to assist the hospitals in attending to possible casualties. “Preparedness is key, to ensure the safety not only of the patients being taken care of in the said hospitals but moreso, of the staff themselves,” Padilla said. Padilla, in issuing the directive, notes how hospital functions in areas hit by earthquakes recently have been adversely affected. Too, she underscored that in order to protect the patients, the staff must first be equipped with the proper and adequate knowledge on how to provide protection to themselves, so they can be able to save the patients. Padilla underscored that they would not want to have any personnel from the hospital becoming the casualty, in the event of such emergencies when all hands need to be on deck. There are six hospitals being operated by the local government in Manila serving the six districts of the city. The 44 health centers are also spread in the six districts to make basic medical services more accessible to the barangays.
