MANILA, Philippines – A COVID-19 patient tragically died “in the cold” while waiting to be admitted inside the emergency room (ER) of a hospital in Metro Manila on Sunday, March 28.
The patient’s untimely demise was shared through a series of tweets by a netizen named Angelo Barrera. Blaming the government for his father’s sudden death, Angelo said he posted his family’s experience on Twitter to warn the public of the current situation of hospitals in the Philippines these days.
“I need you to understand that this is happening to so many people. EVERY hospital is full. Homecare is the only option. Medical machines are in high demand and in low stocks. access to emergency care is non-existent. How can i not blame the incompetence of the people leading us?” he wrote on Twitter.
Angelo’s father, who was diagnosed of COVID-19 on March 16, was initially isolated and monitored by a doctor at home. However, he experienced difficulty in breathing on the evening of March 27 prompting the family to rush him to the hospital. But none of the hospitals they went to or contacted could admit the patient since they have reached full capacity.
"We started shipping him to nearby hospitals and calling in advance. This was the worst part. every. single. hospital. every one of them, was full. Be it admission, ER, even the waitlist for the ER. Every single one was full. You name it, from Asian Hospital to St. Luke’s," he wrote on Twitter.
Furthermore, none of the hospitals could refill the patient’s oxygen tank due to lack of supply. Left without a choice, Angelo’s family decided to take home the patient at around 2 am that night. Although they had oxygen tanks, they were still looking for nasal oxygen delivery machines that they could rent.
After Angelo’s father stopped breathing at around 3 am, the family did CPR on the patient before rushing him to the emergency room of South Superhighway Medical Center. The said hospital didn’t have an ICU so they had to transfer him to the nearest facility which was Asian Hospital.
Although the patient was in critical condition, the E.R. staff of the hospital couldn’t accommodate him right away because the facility was full. Instead, the patient was put on a stretcher outside of the E.R. where he was hooked to a hospital-grade oxygen tank. His vitals were also monitored.
Unfortunately, Angelo’s father passed away before he could even get admitted to the E.R.
"At 5:20am, he flatlined. They used the defibrillator and everything. He was next to the door of the ER, a few minutes away from being able to enter the ICU. My brother was wailing and crying outside with my mother in shock and unresponsive next to him. My dad died in the cold,” Angelo narrated.
With the continuous surge of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, several hospitals in Metro Manila have declared full capacity for their COVID-19 wards this month. As of writing, 6,128 additional cases were detected making the total COVID-19 cases in the Philippines reach 747,288.
— Mini, The Summit Express
The patient’s untimely demise was shared through a series of tweets by a netizen named Angelo Barrera. Blaming the government for his father’s sudden death, Angelo said he posted his family’s experience on Twitter to warn the public of the current situation of hospitals in the Philippines these days.
“I need you to understand that this is happening to so many people. EVERY hospital is full. Homecare is the only option. Medical machines are in high demand and in low stocks. access to emergency care is non-existent. How can i not blame the incompetence of the people leading us?” he wrote on Twitter.
Angelo’s father, who was diagnosed of COVID-19 on March 16, was initially isolated and monitored by a doctor at home. However, he experienced difficulty in breathing on the evening of March 27 prompting the family to rush him to the hospital. But none of the hospitals they went to or contacted could admit the patient since they have reached full capacity.
"We started shipping him to nearby hospitals and calling in advance. This was the worst part. every. single. hospital. every one of them, was full. Be it admission, ER, even the waitlist for the ER. Every single one was full. You name it, from Asian Hospital to St. Luke’s," he wrote on Twitter.
Furthermore, none of the hospitals could refill the patient’s oxygen tank due to lack of supply. Left without a choice, Angelo’s family decided to take home the patient at around 2 am that night. Although they had oxygen tanks, they were still looking for nasal oxygen delivery machines that they could rent.
After Angelo’s father stopped breathing at around 3 am, the family did CPR on the patient before rushing him to the emergency room of South Superhighway Medical Center. The said hospital didn’t have an ICU so they had to transfer him to the nearest facility which was Asian Hospital.
Although the patient was in critical condition, the E.R. staff of the hospital couldn’t accommodate him right away because the facility was full. Instead, the patient was put on a stretcher outside of the E.R. where he was hooked to a hospital-grade oxygen tank. His vitals were also monitored.
upon arrival, we couldn't even get in the ER. note that they knew my dad was already in critical condition, but they couldn't do anything because the ER was full.
— ange (@ange_741_) March 28, 2021
they put him on a stretched outside, hooked him up to a hospital-grade oxygen tank, and monitored his vitals.
Unfortunately, Angelo’s father passed away before he could even get admitted to the E.R.
"At 5:20am, he flatlined. They used the defibrillator and everything. He was next to the door of the ER, a few minutes away from being able to enter the ICU. My brother was wailing and crying outside with my mother in shock and unresponsive next to him. My dad died in the cold,” Angelo narrated.
I need you to understand that this is happening to so many people. EVERY hospital is full. homecare is the only option. medical machines are in high demand and in low stocks. access to emergency care is non-existent.
— ange (@ange_741_) March 28, 2021
how can i not blame the incompetence of the people leading us?
With the continuous surge of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, several hospitals in Metro Manila have declared full capacity for their COVID-19 wards this month. As of writing, 6,128 additional cases were detected making the total COVID-19 cases in the Philippines reach 747,288.
— Mini, The Summit Express
