The Philippine General Hospital is sounding the alarm on the condition of its emergency room following a report that some patients have to wait 3 days and up to 3 weeks just to get a bed.

PGH Director Gerardo Legaspi said the number of patients seeking emergency medical care exceeded the PGH emergency room's capacity of 70 patients.

"Ang aming emergency room was designed only for 70 patients, Sa huli kong census na nakuha, 202 na ngayon ang nasa loob na nasa kama, 40 ang naka-respirator. Para siyang ICU na malaki," he said in a TeleRadyo Serbisyo interview.

He said the PGH implements an emergency severity score system to ensure that patients with the most immediate need are given immediate care.

"Kapag ikaw ay mamamatay within the hour or 2 hours, nandoon ka sa ES 1. Kahit anong puno ng ospital ipapasok ka doon kasi kailangan ka malapatan ng resuscitation o paggamot," he said.

"Pag ikaw ay ES3, 'yung may bali sa buto, sugat na hindi naman life threatening, within six hours ma-a-attend."

Those with cough, colds and stomachaches are classified ES 4 or 5 and may wait even longer before being given treatment.

Legaspi noted the PGH needs to triage the patients according to the severity of emergency to ensure timeliness of care.

"If you have limited resources, limited space, kailangang mamili kung sino ang pwedeng papasok," he said.

"Ang ating mga pasyente, kahit maghintay ng dalawang araw nandun sa mga ambulansya o sa mga upuan sa labas ay maghihintay po talaga. Ibig sabihin, hindi talaga sila emergency at gusto lang talaga na makita ng doctor sa PGH," he added.

He noted that each PGH nurse attends to around 20 patients.

Other public hospitals are also facing the same problem, he said.

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The Department of Health (DOH)-Metro Manila said hospitals in the region were still able to handle the increase in patients with cough or colds.

“Wala pa naman that will alert us to have additional interventions. Our hospitals are able to address this seeming increase in the number of cases. There is no clustering na kami po ay nababahala," said Dr. Aleli Sudiacal, Director of DOH Metro Manila Center for Health Development.

"Expected po itong pag increase ng mga numbero ng mga ubo at sipon sa National Capital Region,” she added.

Meanwhile, the DOH on Friday signed a deal that would increase public and private facilities in Metro Manila that could provide PhilHealth Konsulta Package to members.

PhilHealth’s Konsulta package covers initial and followup primary care consultations, health screening, selected laboratory or diagnostic services and selected medicines.

“Currently we have around 312 Konsulta providers na accredited. Having one provider per 20,000 na population, we will be needing around more than 700 na accredited na Konsulta provider," said Dr. Bernadette Lico, Vice President of PhilHealth's Regional Office in Metro Manila and Rizal.

— With a report from Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News