Medical staff act as parents to COVID19 positive kids, suspected cases
Published September 3, 2020 9:11pm
Medical staff of hospitals are temporarily acting as parents to children who are confirmed and suspected of being infected with the COVID-19 as their parents are not allowed inside the hospital, according to Saleema Refran’s report on “24 Oras.”
A resident of the COVID-19 ward at the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) narrated the difficulty of seeing the children alone and in pain.
“Umiiyak sila, mama, mama. Tapos sasabihin mo sa kanila, si mama nag-aantay sa labas, babalikan ka na lang niya kapag magaling ka na. Tapos kahit anong reassure mo sa kanila, talagang ang hirap na makita na nag hihirap na nga sa sakit nila tapos wala pa silang kasama,” Dr. Mara Calingo said.
Ryan Lianko, an OIC nurse of the ward, also said that children experience a different kind of trauma when admitted.
“Kasi, syempre, hindi naman nila kami kilala tapos kakaiba pa ‘yung suot namin. So iba ‘yung sort of trauma na na-eexperience nila kapag naa-admit sila doon,” he said.
Out of the 22 patients in the ward, five are in critical condition and intubated due to difficulty in breathing. Two of them are newly-born with pneumonia.
Meanwhile, the other patients were children with other sickness such as cancer, chronic kidney disease, cerebral palsy, meningitis, and epilepsy. They are already showing symptoms of COVID-19.
The hospital has a 30 to 50 bed capacity.
“Kung wala kang ibang sakit, generally, talagang magre-recover ka. Mahirap talaga ‘pag may underlying condition. ‘Yan kasi sila magkakaroon ng komplikasyon,” Dr. Fatima Gimenez of the PCMC said.
Calingo expressed admiration for the optimism being shown by some of the patients.
“Sabi niya sa akin, doc, nandyan ba si mama sa labas? Sabi ko, oo andyan lang naman si mama mo sa labas. Bakit may gusto ka pasabi? Doc, sabihin mo lalaban ako,” Calingo said.
“Doon mo makikita na parang kahit gaano kahirap sa tingin ko ‘yung trabaho ko, iba ‘yung pinagdadaaanan nung mga bata na may sakit. And for him to say na doc, lalaban ako. My God, sige, lalaban ako with you, kuya. Game. Tutulungan kita,” she added.
Unfortunately, the patient did not survive.
“Awang-awa ako sa magulang, awang-awa ako sa bata,” Calingo said.—Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News
SOURCE: https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/metro/754144/medical-staff-act-as-parents-to-covid-19-positive-kids-suspected-cases/story/
