The health sector in Lanao del Sur is now equipped with a modern mobile clinic turned over Tuesday to the provincial government to save more lives during emergencies and calamities.

Dr. Bashary Latiph, minister of the Ministry of Health–Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MOH-BARMM), said Wednesday the turnover ceremony of the mobile clinic, initiated under BARMM’s Transitional Development Impact Fund (TDIF) program, was held at the Lanao del Sur Provincial capitol grounds.

Receiving the vehicle were officials of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO)-Lanao del Sur.

“We want to save lives so we make every effort to bring our services closer to the people, such as through these mobile clinics,” Latiph said, adding that more of such vehicles would be distributed to other health stations of the region soon.

Aside from the mobile clinic costing around PHP5 million, the MOH-BARMM also turned over barangay health worker’s kits, information technology devices, and communication equipment to the provincial public information office.

Latiph said the policy on the development of the region’s health sector is explicit in Section 22 of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) providing a comprehensive and integrated health service delivery for its constituents.

“The policy upholds people’s rights to have access to essential goods, health and other services that promote their well-being,” he said.

Lanao Del Sur Governor Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr. has lauded the MOH and all health front-liners for “the generosity and genuine passion to uplift the medical capacity of component areas of the region.”

The BARMM covers the cities of Cotabato, Lamitan, and Marawi; the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi; and also the 63 villages in North Cotabato province. (PNA)