AGASM has identified areas for frontliners and PUIs. The City Government has partnered with Go Inn in Pagdalagan to house the PUIs undergoing quarantine. Meanwhile, the Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU) has launched the Home for Frontliners Program for health workers rendering work for the COVID-19 pandemic in partnership with four (4) hotels in the city.

Aside from this, PGLU is also giving free alcohol and PPEs to hospitals and other institutions. There are also planned strategies such as establishment of additional dedicated COVID Centers to cope with an increased influx of patients.

Hospital Capacity

The four hospitals in the City, namely Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center (ITRMC), Lorma Medical Center, La Union Medical Diagnostic Center and Bethany Hospital, also presented status reports and current initiatives against COVID-19. They are coming up with innovative solutions to address the needs and demands of COVID-19 patients as well as collaboration efforts such as the use of the dedicated CT Scan for COVID patients at Lorma and the Dialysis Facility at ITRMC.

ITRMC Medical Center Chief, Dr. Eduardo M. Badua III said that the institution is on its final level of becoming a COVID Testing Center and targets to be operational this April 2020.

Additional Manpower

To ensure the functionality and preparedness of each hospital in terms of manpower, the City Government of San Fernando, La Union and PGLU has agreed to help in augmenting the needed manpower requirement of the hospitals as well as Rural Health Units and provision of additional PPEs to ensure the safety of our health workers. Burial Guidelines of COVID-19 Cases were also discussed during the meeting.

Present in the meeting were City Government Officials headed by Mayor Alf Ortega, Vice Mayor Chary Nisce, Committee Chair on Health and Wellness Councilor Jessie Miranda, Representatives from the Medical Institutions and Hospitals, PGLU – Provincial Health Office, Key City Departments and DILG.