MDH Disaster Preparedness Program

 

Need to Review, Revise, and Update

1992

Dr. Reynaldo O. Joson

 

The Manila Doctors Hospital has a written disaster preparedness program which was formulated between 1978 and 1979.  Since its formulation, the plan has never been revised considering that the following developments had occurred:

 

  1. The establishment of an eight-story Medical Arts Center in 1983 which houses the doctors’ offices;
  2. The 1987 fire in Medical Center Manila which utilized the Manila Doctors Hospital as a center of evacuation and which showed deficiency in the plan;
  3. The study of Sister Teresa Kotturan in May, 1987 on the MDH Disaster Preparedness Plan which recommended review, revision, and updating;
  4. The establishment of Medcall Philippines, Inc. in 1988, a radio-communication system of doctors based in MDH;
  5. The establishment of an eleven-story Noberto Ty Medical Tower in 1991, which housed patient rooms; and
  6. The establishment of consultant emergency room officers in July, 1991.

 

In 1992, I decided to initiate the review, revision, and updating of the 1978-1979 MDH Disaster Preparedness Plan to make it more comprehensive and structured.

 

 

Need to Review, Revise, and Update

2005

Dr. Reynaldo O. Joson

 

After the 1992 review, revision, and updating, there has been no in-depth review of the MDH Disaster Preparedness Program again.  Drills had been done on an irregular basis.  The last fire drill was done in 2000 after I created the quality circle on fire prevention in 1998.  The quality circle was an off-shoot of the May 15, 1998 fire in Lung Center of the Philippines which killed 20 people. 

 

Considering the need and public expectations for all hospitals to have an effective disaster preparedness plan, regularly reviewed and updated accompanied with drills; considering the major renovations that have been done and ongoing in MDH starting 2004; and considering the more frequent occurrence of natural disasters in the Philippines and in the world; there is a need to review, revise, and update again the existing MDH Disaster Preparedness Program.  The 2005 resolutions should be implementation in terms of actual drills and sustainability of the program.