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Friday, March 29, 2024

Big problems in NCMH

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"This hospital needs a lot of help."

 

 

The National Center for Mental Health, popularly known as “Mental Hospital” in Mandaluyong has been beset with big problems that are made more complicated and life-threatening with the Corona Virus-19 Disease pandemic.

My interest in the hospital started when a friend sent me shocking pictures of NCMH frontliners as they were performing their jobs as health care workers. The acute shortage of personal protective equipment for HCWs was already causing public uproar but the pictures I received were heartbreaking. Doctors and nurses were wearing motorcycle helmets for protection of their faces; plastic raincoats as gowns; trash bags and plastic bags as head covers and boots; and rubber utility/gardening gloves as gloves and boots instead of proper PPE. One doctor I know remarked, “wala na ngang PPE, wala pang dignidad.”

The pictures simultaneously showed both desperation and dedication on the part of NCMH front- liners in treating patients and saving lives. Moreover, the pictures showed how much they were left to their own devices.

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Then I received a copy of “An open letter to the officials of the National Center for Mental Health” allegedly written by a doctor at the NCMH. This outlined very serious accusations against the hospital’s Medical Center Chief Dr. Roland Cortez about how he has been neglecting the HCWs at the hospital. The letter said that aside from PPE, HCWs were severely lacking other crucial supplies, food, and even transportation for employees who live far from the hospital. Moreover, employees who were COVID+, PUI and PUM were not being assisted by the management.

My sources (who requested anonymity) told me that as of April 3, there were 34 confirmed COVID+ cases at the NCHM. The number composed of 28 employees including four psychiatrists, 12 nurses, and seven nursing attendants; and six psychiatric in-patients, three of whom have died. On April 3, there were 297 persons under investigation , and 181 persons under monitoring . Insiders were saying that if they would not be provided with adequate PPE, the cases would surely balloon.

This was when I started reaching out to friends who were helping in the provision of the needs of our HCWs to also help NCMH. Apparently, employees were being prevented from publicly seeking donations so the doctors and other employees resorted to quietly begging for what they needed.

An undated memorandum no. 2020-0015 from the Medical Center Chief Dr. Cortez addressed to all concerned NCMH employees concerning “Quarantine Guidelines for PUI/PUM Employees” received a surprising reaction from the hospital’s human resource management.  Dr. Cortez’ memo said, “As per DOH guidelines, only those employees who are considered PUI should be quarantined. Those considered PUM should report to work provided that they observe proper protective measures such as the wearing of face masks.” 

The hospital’s human resource management defied Dr. Cortez’ memo and asked concerned employees to IGNORE it. Perhaps given the acute PPE shortage, the HR did not want to risk a spike in COVID19-positive cases should PUM return to work. I doubt if the HR would act this way if PPEs were adequate and tests were done on the PUM. 

These issues began surfacing when the former NCMH Chief Administrative Officer  Clarita Avila was interviewed by media and she spoke about their problems. Expectedly, Avila and others who were questioning the chief’s actions came under fire.  Cortez issued a gag order to Avila dated 8 April 2020 where he said, “You are hereby ordered to refrain from issuing statements about COVID-19 issues…” Insiders said that this caused a chilling effect on other employees in the NCMH who, understandably do not want to lose their jobs.

This was followed by the transfer of Avila. First, the DOH issued Department Personnel Order No. 2020-1078 Dated March 9, 2020 signed by Undersecretary Roger P. Tong-an. This ordered the transfer of Avila to the Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Las Piñas. The reason given for the transfer was this was requested by the NCMH Medical Center chief. While the order was dated March 9, it was only received by NCMH on April 13, 2020.

On the same day that it was received, Cortez also released Hospital Order No. 2020-0434 transferring  Avila to DATRC quoting the DOH Department Personnel Order that said that Cortez was the one who requested the transfer.

This is very interesting because instead of addressing the problems expressed and experienced by NCMH employees, the Medical Chief, and by extension, the DOH, chose to suppress those who are speaking up. Surely, it is in the hospital’s and the DOH’s interest for problems to be resolved. However, this cannot happen with the way they are handling the issues. The situation can only worsen as employees and health workers become more disgruntled and as COVID-19 cases continue to rise.

I was intrigued by the Medical Center Chief Cortez. A quick search surprisingly revealed that he faces graft cases. News reports of Sept. 14, 2019 said that the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division promulgated a Sept. 4, 2019 Resolution finding no merit in the joint motion for leave to file a demurrer to evidence by the then Medical Chief of the East Avenue Medical Center Rolando Cortez and two others. He was facing three counts of violation of RA 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act as amended.

Earlier, the Sandiganbayan Resolution promulgated on Feb. 19, 2019, suspended Cortez and his co-accused from their offices for ninety (90) days.

The plot thickens, so to speak. I will be surprised if the DOH does not know about these cases because the EAMC, like the NCMH, is also under the DOH. What gives?

Worse, as predicted by NCMH insiders, the number of COVID-19 cases there nearly doubled. In a Twitter direct message sent to me by my source, I learned that as of 15 April 2020, confirmed COVID19-positive cases rose to sixty-six (66) from 34 on April 3. Fifty six (56) of these were employees and ten (10), psychiatric patients. The number of suspected cases is 5 (3 employees and 2 psychiatric patients); number of probable cases was 451 (410 employees and 41 psychiatric patients); number of recoveries was a low four (4), three (3) were employees, and one (1) patient. 

The number of deaths doubled to six, all psychiatric patients.

The breakdown of COVID19+ personnel includes: 36 nursing personnel, 10 doctors, one  psychologist, three in engineering, two in administrative services, one in social services, two  dietary personnel, and one  ambulance driver.

There is no question that NCMH needs a lot of help. However, the problems cannot be solved by suppressing people. The DOH needs to act on this, and fast.

@bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

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