PH Consulate in Dublin lauds Filipino frontliners’ heroism
Published May 27, 2020, 5:43 PM
The Philippine Consulate in Dublin has paid tribute to Filipino frontline workers in Ireland for their heroism and for making a difference amid the threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to their own safety.
On its official Facebook page, the consulate cited as an example Xyrcyll Doriman, a young Filipina nurse from Kapalong, Davao Del Norte who just recently moved to Ireland and is now working at Cork University Hospital (CUH).
“When I was in nursing school, I never imagined being on the fronline and in direct contact with infected patients in a pandemic. COVID 19, the most serious health crisis of our time, reminds me of my vital role as a nurse,” Doriman said.
Doriman admitted that the past four weeks have been mentally draining for frontliners like her, sometimes overwhelmed by the emotional complexities of taking care of their patients.
“I fear of falling ill with COVID-19 and los(ing) my life on the frontline. At the same time, I also need to step in providing emotional support to my patients because their families can’t come to the hospital,” she added
Despite the challenges, Doriman said she just keep her mental attitude positive by not allowing her emotions to get in the way.
“I stopped reading news articles that only trigger worries and negative feelings,” she said.
Doriman breathes a sigh of relief that the pace of COVID-19 cases in the hospital where she works “appears to be slowing down.”
She attributed the improvement to the adequate supplies of personal protective equipment, the proper training and education, and the strict hygiene and social distancing measures that the hospital community has adopted.
“I am also extremely thankful that my loved ones at home are healthy,” Doriman said.
Meanwhile, another Filipina nurse, Leona Paula Leoncio, who was earlier hospitalized for COVID-19 infection, showed signs of recovery when she was “extubated” and woken up from an induced coma.
The 36-year-old Leoncio, also a frontliner and staff nurse at the University Hospital Galway in Ireland, was reportedly admitted a week ago after testing positive for COVID-19.
According to the consulate’s social media account, Leoncio experienced on and off temperature spikes and intermittent shortness of breath. She was immediately brought to the Intensive Care Unit where she was intubated and ventilated.
On May 15, the Philippine Consulate in the Irish capital announced the death of a 55-year-old Filipino due to COVID-19.
The victim was identified as Miguel Plangca. He was the second Filipino to succumbed to the deadly disease in Ireland.
There are an estimated 17,000 Filipinos in Ireland alone, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Embassy in London.
SOURCE: https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/05/27/ph-consulate-lauds-filipino-frontliners-heroism/
