Members of the San Carlos City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) undergoes a two-day lecture from representatives of Bacolod City EOC to help intensify responses against the Covid-19 starting yesterday, Nov. 5.
Dr. Hector Gayares Jr., Deputy Medical of Bacolod City EOC shared the consolidated approach to the pandemic including prevention, detection, isolation, treatment and reintegration.
Gayares said the approach aimed at making active cases at a level way below Healthcare capacity; fatality rate at the lowest level, near zero; keep the wheels of economy turning and enculturate a supportive and caring environment.
Dr. Ralph Nico Selibio, COVID-19 Regional Operations Consultant from the World Health Organization-Philippines also presented the major steps in contact tracing, data management issues and taught contact tracers on how to streamline contact tracing while Dr. Chris Sorongon, another Deputy Medical of Bacolod City EOC, emphasized that contact tracers should observe proper decorum and courtesy, ask consent for documentation and observe minimum health protocol aside from bringing IDs.
The president of the Liga ng mga Barangay in Bacolod City, Lady Gles Pallen who is also present shared the functions of the barangay during the city’s fight against the pandemic.
Dr. Jocelyn Gayares, Psychiatrist, also imparted various mental health issues such as fear, discrimination, burnout and teen control that should be considered by the government during the crisis.
Members of the EOC also actively participated by asking questions after each presentation.
On its second day, Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, Chief Pathologist, Department of Health-Region 7 shared their best practices in conducting test to probable covid patients; the 18 punong barangays of the city now joined the briefing for their important roles and responsibilities in the EOCs initiatives.
City Mayor Renato Y. Gustilo said he is hopeful that EOC members and punong barangays learned from the lectures so that COVID-19 transmission will now be contained.
Last Nov. 4, 2020, a group of medical team headed by Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, Provincial Health Officer of Negros Occidental visited the city to help improve the functions of each EOC member after the city experienced a rapid increase in COVID-19 positive cases when local transmission started to occur a couple of weeks ago.
As of yesterday, the city’s COVID-19 active cases is at 105 with 166 recoveries and 16 deaths from the total positive cases of 287.
