BAGUIO CITY – The City Health Services Office (CHSO) was ordered to prepare the guidelines governing the operation of private clinics and laboratories following the snowballing clamor from residents on the need for them to consult their private physicians and undergo the required tests from existing laboratories in the city.
Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong issued the directive to City Health Officer Dr. Rowena Galpo to guide him in the issuance of future directives that will cover the operation of private clinics and private laboratories in the different parts of the city.
One of the establishments that are prohibited to operate while Luzon is under extended enhanced community quarantine are the private clinics of physicians, medical laboratories.
The city chief executive admitted having gave some verbal instructions allowing the temporary operation of private clinics and private medical laboratories in the city considering that there are patients who also want to consult their private physicians and undergo the required laboratory tests from private medical laboratories of their choice.
He pointed out that the health authorities must consult the private physicians and owners of medical laboratories to ascertain the prescribed rules to govern their temporary operation during the remaining period of the extended Luzonwide enhanced community quarantine so that the same will be used to govern their temporary operation once the ongoing lockdown will be relaxed by the national inter-agency task force on the management of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.
Earlier, some private clinics of physicians and medical laboratories started their operations due to the clamor from residents wanting to consult with their private physicians and medical laboratories because of the reported overcrowding in government hospitals.
The CHSO was instructed to immediately consult with the affected sector the soonest to guide any issuance that will govern the operation of the private clinics in consideration of the need for residents to consult their physicians and undergo the required laboratory exams in medical laboratories apart from existing government health facilities in the city.
City officials and health authorities are hoping the extended Luzonwide enhanced community quarantine will not be extended again to allow the transitioning from the quarantine period to the new normal.
During this period of enhanced community quarantine, patients needing medical checkup are frequently referred to government hospitals while laboratory tests are done in the laboratories of the same health facilities. The city government is strongly recommending the start of the operation of key sectors of the community once the quarantine period will be lifted at the end of the month so that there will be a transition of the activities of the residents who have stayed in their residences for over a month now.
By Dexter A. See