Silliman University continues to support efforts in the fight against CoViD-19, providing a temporary housing facility for staff/employees from the SU Medical Center who live outside Dumaguete.
Dr. Betty Cernol-McCann, SU President, disclosed that Vernon Hall is now being used by SUMC hospital staff as their housing quarters, instead of having to travel back home and return to work the next day, for the duration of the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine.
A total of 58 beds have been made available for the SUMC staff; about 12 nurses have been housed at Vernon Hall since April 6.
Roberto Montebon, SUMC Foundation Inc. president, expressed gratitude to Silliman University “for responding to our request to allow us to use Vernon Hall as a place where our staff can be temporarily housed in a convenient, safe, and secure place so that they can be ready always to be at the frontlines in this war against Covid-19”.
He said the move is “important because healthcare workers at the forefront of this pandemic need to be supported, even as they keep their enthusiasm and energy to protect the community and the public”.
He cited how many other cities have responded to this global situation by providing dormitories, hotels, gymnasiums as temporary housing facilities for healthcare workers for free. “We are grateful that SU responded to our call.”
SUMCFI housekeeping staff are now assigned to do regular cleaning at Vernon Hall, in coordination with the dormitory manager.
Earlier, the University’s College of Nursing, the Civic Welfare Training Service with the Office of Community Engagement & Service-Learning, and the Nutrition & Dietetics department distributed face masks and face shields to frontliners in Dumaguete.
The University’s Chemistry department also produced ethyl alcohol sanitizers that were distributed to medical frontliners to help in address the shortage of disinfectants in the market. (SU OIP)