Three hospitals in North Cotabato province have joined the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) Ayudang Medikal Mula sa Bangsamoro Government (AMBaG) project that aims to serve indigents and low-income households.
In an interview on Monday, Mohd Asnin Pendatun, BARMM Cabinet Secretary and concurrent AMBaG project manager, said those that joined their health assistance mission are the Aleosan District Hospital (ADH) in Aleosan town; the North Cotabato Provincial Hospital (NCPH) in Amas, Kidapawan City; and the Dr. Amado B. Diaz Hospital (DABDH) in Midsayap town.
Pendatun said the three hospitals signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with them over the weekend.
He said the MOA signing was undertaken through a teleconference by BARMM Senior Minister Abdulraof Macacua and North Cotabato provincial health chief, Dr. Eva Rabaya, who represented North Cotabato Governor Nancy Catamco.
“With this, the NCPH will receive a PHP10-million allotment from us under the AMBaG project while the ADH and DABDH will also receive PHP5 million each,” he said.
Though not part of the BARMM, 63 villages in six towns of the North Cotabato opted to join the fledgling region during a two-part plebiscite held in January and February 2019.
The three North Cotabato infirmaries joined 22 other hospitals, within and outside BARMM, which are current partners-beneficiaries of the AMBaG project.
In a statement on Monday, Rabaya thanked the BARMM government for considering North Cotabato province for the noble endeavor of providing medical services that would benefit the communities in the 63 barangays under the BARMM’s “special geographic area” in the province.
“Rest assured that the amounts provided to the province will be properly utilized under the management of each chief of hospitals as they help the medical needs of the patients admitted in the three hospitals,” Rabaya said.
In a separate statement, BARMM Chief Minister Ahod “Murad” Ebrahim said the AMBaG project was borne out of a simple yet meaningful desire to help the indigent and underprivileged Bangsamoro in other areas of the country.
“The importance of lending a helping hand for medical expenses cannot come at a more suitable period than what we are experiencing today with the ongoing pandemic,” Ebrahim said, adding that healthcare and medical services are among the top priorities of the BARMM government.
Since its creation in December 2019, AMBaG had aided a total of 14, 748 patients from its partner hospitals, of whom 10,347 went home with zero balance in their medical bills.
Qualified beneficiaries of the project will receive an initial amount of PHP10,000 medical support, provided that they will comply with the hospital endorsement document, a request letter to the BARMM’s Office of the Chief Minister, including their updated medical results and hospital bill. (PNA)
