PALO, Leyte, Dec. 15 (PNA) -– The government will deploy 800 medical staff to respond to emergency health needs of pilgrims and onlookers during Pope Francis visit in Leyte on Jan. 17, 2014.
Filedita Dico, Department of Health (DOH) regional health emergency medical services coordinator, said that medical staff will man 25 mobile health stations to be placed in strategic areas.
“Our main consideration is the general public because the Presidential Security Group will take care of Pope Francis,” Dico said.
The DOH has identified eight hospitals for confinement of pilgrims, mass attendees, and onlookers.
In Tacloban City, identified hospitals for emergency confinement during the papal visit are the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center, Tacloban City Hospital, St. Paul’s Hospital, Mother of Mercy Hospital, Remedios Trinidad Romualdez Medical Foundation, and Tacloban Doctor’s Hospital.
In the nearby Palo town, these health facilities are the Schistosomiasis Control and Research Hospital and Leyte Provincial Hospital.
A private hospital was tagged as an official hospital of the pontiff in his seven hours stay in Leyte, but the committee declined to announce publicly due for security reasons.
“All hospitals in Palo and Tacloban assured us that they are all prepared and ready for any eventuality during Pope Francis’ visit,” said Fr. George Garcia, chairman of the local committee on health services.
Each mobile station is manned by doctors, nurses, carriers, and other health emergency responders.
Pope Francis will visit the Philippines on January 15 to 19, 2015 to primarily comfort Filipinos devastated by the typhoon and the earthquake that hit the Visayas. (PNA)