Thread by @genenisperos

The recent Cebu fiasco reveals much about the level of (un)preparedness vs COVID-19 in PH, esp by the DOH.

We should learn from it ASAP if we want to stave off an impending disaster here in NCR and in other COVID hotspots. 1/

In terms of health capacity, Cebu is neither underserved nor resource poor. It has several big tertiary hospitals as well as medical and health sciences schools.

Yet in less than two weeks, the system was overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases.

This is not due to "mga pasaway" alone. 2/

Cebu was ill-prepared. The provincial and district hospitals were virtually crippled when the Governor decided to reduce their health workforce by half in 2019.

Her reason? "Too many doctors and nurses on the LGU payroll."

But the DOH did not do or say anything this. 3/

The DOH response was also very telling. Redeploying DTTBs is WRONG even as a stopgap measure.

Why remove doctors from already underserved areas?!

But the DOH is desperate because five months into the pandemic, it still has no clear health workforce supplementation program. 4/

All govt health facilities have ALWAYS been understaffed.

In this pandemic, even more burden are placed on health workers.

Thus, providing additional health personnel should have been a top priority by the DOH from the outset.

But the Cebu fiasco shows otherwise. 5/

TBH the DOH must be doing a REALLY REALLY bad job at it if it is having a hard time recruiting doctors and nurses in a country that has been a top global exporter of doctors and nurses in the last half century.

Again, the problem lies in the lack leadership. 6/

#Resign
#Oust

We must learn from the Cebu fiasco because NCR is having a similar situation now.

Govt hospitals are maxing out on their COVID capacity.

The DOH is not reporting how many health workers are COVID positive and what is being done for them.

We must act before it's too late. 7/7