Six medical facilities in the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi (BaSulTa) provinces have received six units of ambulances and some PHP3.7 million worth of medicines and other equipment from the Ministry of Health in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MOH-BARMM).
The six units of ambulance include three sea ambulances that were given to the rural health units (RHUs) in the island town of Siasi, Sulu; Datu Halun Sakilan Memorial Hospital in coastal Bongao, Tawi-Tawi; and, the district hospital of the island municipality of Languyan, also in Tawi-Tawi.
In a statement Monday, Dr. Bashary Latiph, BARMM’s health minister, said the purchase of the ambulances, medical supplies, and other equipment was funded under the General Appropriations Act of the Bangsamoro (GAAB) 2021, Special Development Fund (SDF), and National Immunization Program (NIP) fund.
“I am hoping and looking forward that the ambulances could be used properly on its main purpose in responding to health emergency from home to hospital or the RHU to save the lives of our needy constituents and should not be used for personal interest,” Latiph said.
The ambulances, medical equipment, and supplies were received over the weekend.
In Basilan, Latiph said the RHU in Tabuan Lasa and the district hospital in Sumisip each received a land ambulance.
The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) of Basilan and its 11 RHUs, as well as Lamitan City Health Office and its two RHUS, received 16 laptop computers and 15 boxes of antigen test kits, and PHP1.6 million worth of medicine.
In Sulu, the Siasi District Hospital (SDH) received a land ambulance while the IPHO got 19 units of laptop computers, 20 boxes of antigen test kits, and PHP2.1 million worth of assorted medicine.
In Tawi-Tawi, both the Datu Halun Sakilan Memorial Hospital and Languyan District Hospital also obtained 12 units of laptop computers and boxes of antigen test kits.
The health officials in Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi provinces expressed their appreciation to the MOH – BARMM for the huge assistance they received to augment emergency services and support in the delivery of basic health and social care in their respective localities.
“Rest assured that we will take good care of it and use it properly in serving our utmost needed constituents in our area,” Parida Perez, health education and promotion officer of Basilan, said in a separate statement Monday.
For his part, Dr. Ejil Imlan, the SDH chief, noted that for more than two decades they have requested an ambulance and it was only this time in BARMM that their dream came true.
Latiph emphasized that MOH-BARMM is doing its best in addressing the health problems in the region, being one of the priority agenda of BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim in his administration. (PNA)
