PNP chief, Gen. Archie Gamboa. (PNA photo by Lloyd Caliwan)
MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday said it will conduct a reassessment of the conditions of its medical front-liners in wake of rising cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the country.
In a press briefing in Camp Crame, PNP chief, Gen. Archie Gamboa, said this is to respond to the concerns of police doctors and nurses who are now experiencing exhaustion and fatigue.
“Well just like what is the current national situation, that's why the health workers themselves requested a timeout. (But in the PNP), our case is not that bad because remember, our hospitals in the PNP, we don't expect severe patients to be admitted in the hospitals," Gamboa said.
His remarks came after President Rodrigo Duterte said security forces' medical personnel would be tapped in the fight against Covid-19.
"I gave instructions to (Deputy Chief for Administration) Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan to try to reevaluate also our forces because as you see it, the President said even the PNP will be used already so I said let us reexamine the availability of our medical reserved force," he added.
Gamboa, meanwhile, said he would have a "heart to heart talk" with the doctors and nurses of the Health Service to know their concerns.
“Ang guidance ko sa mga unit commanders, first, PPE (personal protective equipment) talaga and then health mismo ng mga personnel (My guidance for the unit commander is first, to secure enough PPE and then monitor the health of our personnel), for instance, to observe a number of sleeping hours, through rotation and then many Vitamin C for themselves,” he said.
Gamboa, however, said there will be no timeout for police personnel amid the rising number of Covid-19 cases among its ranks.
“We are not authorized to call for a timeout in the PNP. We have to continue. There are a lot of PNP (personnel). We are totaling already to 209,000 so there is no reason why the PNP should say also timeout,” Gamboa said.
As of Monday night, the PNP Health Service has reported 2,283 Covid-19 cases and 11 deaths.
A total of 1,251 personnel have recovered from the disease and while 862 probable cases and 2,199 suspected cases are being monitored.
Police medical front-liners are currently in charge of manning the PNP General Hospital and other quarantine facilities such as the ones set up at the Philippine Sports Complex-ULTRA in Pasig City and at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City. (PNA)
