Hospitals filled to capacity but expert says worst is over
Public hospitals are gearing up for more leptospirosis cases following recent typhoons and widespread flooding, with the Department of Health (DOH) tallying some 2,396 cases of the waterborne disease between June 8 to August 7.
As of Sunday, mostly government-run hospitals in Manila and Quezon City reported at least 54 fatalities arising from recent leptospirosis infections.
The Quezon City government reported a total of 31 fatalities across several hospitals, while Manila health authorities logged 15 deaths at the San Lazaro Hospital (San Lazaro) and 8 deaths at the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center (Ospital ng Maynila).
However, Health Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo said East Avenue Medical Center tops the list of DOH hospitals in terms of the number of admitted leptospirosis patients.
It was followed by San Lazaro, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Sta. Ana Hospital, Ospital ng Maynila, Quezon City General Hospital, Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center, Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital, Ilocos Training and Regional Center, Dr. Jose M Rodriguez (Tala Memorial Hospital) and Tondo Medical Center.
For his part, infectious diseases expert Dr. Rontgene Solante yesterday said San Lazaro currently has 130 admissions of leptospirosis patients, where most patients have a severe form of the disease.
He disclosed that the hospital’s mortality rate is 11 to 13%, and fatalities have been between 19 and 40 years old.
Still, Solante opined that the surge in leptospirosis infections is unlikely to degenerate into a full-blown health emergency.
“I think this is the peak of the surge of leptospirosis cases. If we are going to extend the incubation for three weeks, it seems like we will still have leptospirosis cases next week, but we will see fewer cases,” he told Super Radio DzBB yesterday.
“So far, we are seeing fewer leptospirosis patients brought to the San Lazaro Hospital, but they have severe cases,” he said in Filipino.
Meanwhile, a ward has been set aside to exclusively handle leptospirosis cases at the Sta. Ana Hospital in the sixth district of Manila.
This was announced by Manila Health Department chief Dr. Grace Padilla, citing the alarming rate in the number of leptospirosis cases and the related deaths recorded in the city recently.
Many more, she said, are currently confined as they arrived in the hospital with already severe symptoms with some of them needing dialysis already.
The MHD chief strongly urges the residents to avoid wading in floodwaters and if they did so because they had no choice, for them to immediately take prophylaxis, saying these are given for free at the city’s health centers.
Padilla said those who wade in floodwaters must take it especially if they have wounds in their feet.
She also asked for the public’s understanding as the Ospital ng Maynila announced that its emergency room is now over its capacity, as a total of 140 leptospirosis cases have been admitted there to date.
As this developed, Philippine Red Cross Chairman and CEO Richard Gordon said the organization remains prepared to support hospitals and protect communities during public health emergencies.
“I commend our volunteer medical corps and staff who continue to answer the call, often at short notice, to serve our people in times of need,” he said.
The assurance came after the Philippine General Hospital reported full capacity in its emergency room amid the spike in cases.
Gordon said he contacted PGH Director Dr. Gap Legaspi to offer PRC’s resources for patient overflow and while PGH has since stabilized its operations, the PRC remains on standby for deployment.
Meanwhile, health reform advocate Dr. Tony Leachon criticized the government’s slow response to the outbreak, describing the issue as “Kleptopirosis,” linking the annual surge in cases to corruption and mismanagement of flood control and health budgets.
He said the real problem lies in the misuse of funds and delayed disaster infrastructure projects.
“Leptospirosis surges every year because floods surge every year. And floods surge every year because flood control funds are either misused, delayed, or siphoned off entirely. In a country visited by 20 typhoons annually, this is not just negligence, it is sabotage,” he said.
However, Iloilo 1st District Representative Janette Garin over the weekend argued that the surge in leptospirosis cases is unrelated to controversial flood control projects.
“Leptospirosis is a different matter. If you ask me, linking it to flood control projects is just politicking,” she said.
Garin added that the outbreak instead reflects failures in communication and implementation despite the availability of budget and affordable medicines.
