Batac hospital bags international award for heroic COVID-19 response

By John Michael Mugas(Contributor)

LAOAG CITY—The biggest public hospital in the province of Ilocos Norte was recognized on December 16, 2020 by an international health association for its commitment on providing exceptional health services amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC) was one of the 103 hospital recipients across 28 countries of the International Hospital Federation’s (IHF) Beyond the Call of Duty For COVID-19 award.

The recognition came as Ilocos Norte experienced a sudden surge of COVID-19 cases in the past days breaching the 400-mark.

MMMH&MC shared the award with other hospitals from the Philippines including Caba District Hospital, Makati Medical Center, Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital and Sanitarium, Manila Doctors Hospital, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Region II Trauma and Medical Center, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

The list of winners was announced by IHF based in Geneva, Switzerland during the global day of awareness for hospital and health service.

In a statement, IHF said that the awardees demonstrated initiative, agility, and an incredible capacity to innovate under extraordinary circumstances.

“They instituted changes in the provision of healthcare, from technological innovations in diagnosis and treatment, to restructuring workflow systems and doctor-patient interactions,” the statement added.

Sought for comment, MMMH&MC’s chief Maria Lourdes K. Otayza said that the recognition boosted the morale of the health-workers who are on the frontlines since the onset of the pandemic.

“We carry on with our commitment to ensure that we are 100% responding to COVID and non-COVID testing demands,” she added.

In the past months, MMMH&MC established the first certified molecular laboratory in Ilocos Norte which increased the hospital’s capacity to conduct RT-PCR testing for COVID-19. It also partnered with the provincial government to ensure the coordination of all the strategies and plans in line with COVID-19 response in the province.

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