CCMC experiences power outage for about 4 hours

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Medical Center lost power around 5 p.m. yesterday after its breaker failed owing to an old switch board.

Personnel from the City Command Center (C3) and the City Quick Response Team of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office brought a generator and two flat lights an hour later and managed to restore power at past 8 p.m.

CCMC administrator Agnes Tabares said patients remained calm even with the power outage.

“Kalma and okay ra  ang mga patients and walay gubot nihitabo. Mituyok  ko sa mga wards wala man nuan problema. We gave flashlights while gi-ayo pa ang wirings (The patients were calm and there was no chaos. I went around the ward rooms and we gave flashlights while the wirings were being fixed),” Tabares said.

While this may be the case, two patients admitted conditions weren’t ideal during the outage.

“Init jud kaayo, igang lagi. Okay raman bisan walay suga kay naa man cellphone nga mahimong flashlight (It’s so hot. We can tolerate the absence of light because there are cellphones with flashlights),” said Bernardo Bustamante, 57, who is confined at the hospital ward.

Cherry Mae Ladunga who was watching over her aunt at that time also expressed a similar sentiment. “Grabe jud ka-init pagkawala sa kuryente. Mo-sakit imong kamot sige og paypay sa kainit labi na kay summer na pud (It became very hot when we lost electricity, especially that it’s already summer. Our arms became numb from using hand fans,” she said.

Patients at the hospital have since complained of the unfavorable conditions there. The hospital is housed temporarily at the compound of the Bureau of Fire Protection after the original structure was damaged by the magnitude 7.2 earthquake October last year and was declared unsafe for occupancy.

Hospital personnel are asking for patience and understanding.

“Di man sad nato ma control ang temperature. Kuan lang gyud, among gihatag og gipa-feel nila ang amoang compassionate care (We can’t control the temperature. What we’re doing now is give our patients compassionate care),” said Veronica Auditor, a nurse at the hospital.

Dr. Roy Alcano also said they always try their best to meet the patients’ needs.

“Lisod kaayo diri oy. Mas maayo didto sa pikas (old CCMC ). Alimuot, huot diri. Ang mga pasyente duol sa dalan duol sa abog (The situation is difficult here. The old location is better. It’s hot, crowded here. The patients are near the road and exposed to dust),” a patient told The Freeman.

Councilor Mary Ann delos Santos, chairperson of the CCMC ad hoc committee, said there’s nothing more that the city can do at this point in time. “There’s nothing we can do for now. We’re trying our best to come up with the tertiary hospital,” she said.

Private hospitals the city has partnered with only accommodate patients with critical condition.

Last month, Dr. Shawn Espina and Arch. Mico Espina presented to the City Council the revised site development plan for the 10-story CCMC. The new building, which will cost P1.3 billion, will be built at the corner of N. Bacalso Avenue and Panganiban Street.

The city has assured there is enough funds to build the new hospital. (FREEMAN)