Day: May 6, 2024

The health ministry has asked hospitals to devise measures to minimize damage to patients from medical professors taking a collective action in support of a walkout by junior doctors protesting the increase in medical school quotas, officials said Monday.

The Korean Hospital Association said the government has asked hospital chiefs to take appropriate measures for patients undergoing treatment when medical professors, who are senior doctors, resign or take a leave of absence.

Medical professors at the country’s key hospitals submitted their resignations en masse in late March, although the health ministry insisted that only a few of them have been processed so far.

Starting last week, some professors also began taking a day off, suspending surgeries and outpatient treatments in response to fatigue caused by the prolonged walkout of junior doctors.

About 12,000 trainee doctors have left their worksites since Feb. 20 in protest of the plan to boost the number of medical students by 2,000, causing delays in
medical treatments, with some emergency rooms partially limiting their treatment of critically ill patients.

In the wake of prolonged disruptions to medical services, some hospitals have begun expressing financial difficulties, with Kyung Hee University Medical Center in Seoul issuing a statement to faculty indicating the possibility of suspending salary payments.

“The hospital is facing a critical crisis and may even need to suspend salary payments and consider voluntary retirements in June,” Oh Joo-hyeong, president of Kyung Hee University Medical Center, said in a message sent to the workers.

Seoul National University Hospital and Severance Hospital are also accepting applications for unpaid leave. Meanwhile, Seoul Asan Hospital has started accepting voluntary retirement applications, becoming the first of the “Big Five” hospitals to do so.

Source: Yonhap News Agency

MANILA: The heat index in Clark, Pampanga hit 50 degrees Celsius on Monday, state weather bureau PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) reported.

The past four days, the reading from the Clark International Airport ranged from 39°C to 41°C.

Dagupan, Pangasinan recorded 47°C.

Pasay City and Quezon City felt the heat at 43°C and 42°C, respectively. The same indices are expected in the two National Capital Region cities the next two days, PAGASA said.

La Trinidad, Benguet was the lone area with a below-caution index at 26°C while Baguio City was at a ‘hotter’ 28°C.

Muñoz, Nueva Ecija had the highest actual temperature of 39.8°C while Tuguegarao City, Cagayan was at 39°C.

Source: Philippines News Agency

LEGAZPI CITY: The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Bicol reported on Monday that all types of shellfish from the coastal waters of Milagros town in Masbate province are now safe for eating after collected water samples turned out negative for paralytic shellfish toxin (PSP) that causes red tide.

In an interview on Monday, Rowena Briones, BFAR- Bicol information officer, said aside from Milagros, the three other red tide monitoring areas in the region are now negative for toxins based on the latest shellfish bulletin issued last Friday.

“Almost four months since February, Milagros, Masbate has been positive for the toxins. Now that it was declared negative, gathering, selling, and transporting all types of shellfish from the coastal waters of Milagros in Masbate are now permitted,” she said.

She said the other red tide monitoring areas are the Sorsogon Bay and Juag Lagoon in Matnog, Sorsogon province and the coastal waters of Mandaon, also in Masbate.

“Ngunyan po na gabos na red tide mon
itoring areas in Bicol are negative (Now that all red tide monitoring areas in Bicol are negative) our fisherfolk can work without disruptions. This is an advantage for fisheries production, ensuring operational continuity, safer seafood, and broader economic benefits for the entire fishing sector),” she said.

Based on the shellfish advisory of the BFAR central office, the negative results for PSP were obtained from three consecutive weeks of sampling in the areas.

Briones said BFAR-Bicol regularly tests water samples in various monitoring bays to ensure public health and safety and to protect the fishery industry.

“We advise the public to be cautious when purchasing seafood, such as fish, shrimp, crabs, and shellfish. It is recommended to purchase, cook, and eat fresh seafood that has been thoroughly washed,” she said.

Red tide is a phenomenon where water turns discolored due to high algal concentration.

PSP symptoms may include tingling of the lips and tongue, which could spread to the face, neck, fing
ertips, and toes. Headache, dizziness, and nausea may follow.

In severe cases, patients may experience muscular paralysis and respiratory difficulty. Deaths have also been reported.

Source: Philippines News Agency

BAGUIO CITY: The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)- Baguio synoptic station on Monday said this summer capital will continue to enjoy cooler weather, at 17°C at its lowest and 27°C at its highest.

‘Magpapatuloy pa ang ganitong temperature lalo at may mga isolated rain showers na nagpapalamig din sa environment natin (this range of temperature will continue especially because we are experiencing isolated rain showers that contribute to our cold environment),’ Aniceto Polintang, PAGASA-Baguio Weather observe said.

While most of the country has been experiencing extreme heat, the summer capital’s minimum temperature ranges between 17°C and 18.4°C and maximum of 27°C and 28°C.

The heat index in the city is at 28.4 degrees Celsius.

“Maswerte tayo dito at mainit man na nararamdaman natin, di kasing init ng ibang lugar (We are lucky that while we are experiencing heat, it is not as much as those in other areas), ” Polintang added.

He said that the hottest are
usually felt between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. while the coldest temperature happens at 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.

Source: Philippines News Agency

TACLOBAN CITY: The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has completed the construction of the Bigo Bridge in Arteche, Eastern Samar designed to address road closures during heavy flooding.

The DPWH Eastern Samar district engineering office reported that the 80-meter bridge built on top of the highway is now passable after two years of construction.

DPWH Eastern Samar district engineering office chief Domcelio Natividad said this is one of the high-impact projects in Eastern Samar contributing to the economic and social development of Arteche, Jipapad, and nearby towns in the province.

“This will solve the problem especially during rainy season because it takes days before the floodwater subsides,” Natividad said in a statement Monday.

DPWH Eastern Visayas assistant regional director Ma. Margarita Junia recalled that frequent road closures due to flooding were among the challenges she faced during her stint as district engineer in Eastern Samar.

“In 2021, after three days of heavy rainfall, some
road sections were closed but water subsided after a few hours. But in Bigo, flooding was up to two meters deep and the road was closed for days,” Junia said.

The new bridge is within a major highway in Barangay Bigo. This is part of the road network that links the provinces of Eastern Samar and Northern Samar.

Flooding is common in the village during the rainy season since the road section is a catchment area whenever there is an overflow from the nearby Oras River.

Source: Philippines News Agency