MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) and the East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC) unveiled Monday the six-story Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease (CERID) to address the need to manage severe and critical cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in Metro Manila.
Dr. Alfonso Nuñez, EAMC Medical Center chief, said the CERID would have its own independent emergency room that can accommodate up to 40 patients.
It will also have its own operating room and labor and delivery room to cater to Covid-19 patients that need to be treated for other medical conditions.
It also has two intensive care units that can accommodate up to 30 critical patients, equipped with eight to 10 hemodialysis units.
Ward type rooms and isolation rooms are available to ensure that these patients meet the minimum health standards to prevent further spread of the infection.
The new building will also have an infirmary to cater to the needs of the health care workers who may inadvertently contract the disease.
CERID was constructed with the help and support of the Inter-Agency Task Force, headed by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, the National Implementation Task Force, headed by Secretary Carlito Galvez and Covid-19 treatment czar Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega.
CERID was not initially intended to be an infectious disease center, but with the need to increase facilities to accommodate Covid-19 patients, the DOH, in partnership with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) headed by isolation czar Secretary Mark Villar, improved the building to meet the highest standards of safety protocol for infectious diseases.
Partner agencies in the future will make necessary improvements to complete one of the two ICUs of the facility with an integrated hemodialysis unit in the area.
Partners from the private sector will also provide EAMC-CERID with fully functional medical equipment good for 50 isolation rooms and 20 ICU beds.
In order to be fully operational, EAMC shall hire additional 900 health human resources, including 77 medical specialists, 279 medical officers, 177 nurses and nursing aides, and 468 paramedical personnel and other support services.
In the meantime, the existing EAMC personnel shall serve part of the new center to augment the existing needs of the community.
To increase healthcare workers in CERID, Region 1 Medical Center will send 20 medical personnel to assist in the fight against the virus. (DOH PR)
