The Ministry of Health – Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MOH-BARMM) hired Tuesday 25 new nurses and seven support staff members to boost its health response in the region.

“They will complement our current healthcare warriors battling the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic,” Dr. Bashary Latiph, BARMM health minister, said in an interview by reporters here.

The 32 new permanent employees took their oath of office before Latiph during a ceremony held at the MOH-BARMM regional office inside the Bangsamoro government center here.

Latiph urged the new healthcare warriors to live up to the tag “modern-day heroes” in this time of the pandemic.

“We must come up with innovative ways to address the problems that arise with the onslaught of this virus,” he said.

“This is a challenge for all of you, a responsibility. As public servants, we must put first the welfare of our people above anything else. We must know how to empathize for better delivery of our services,” Latiph added.

Meanwhile, in a virtual message, BARMM Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim told the new employees to uphold their “oath of moral governance,” and to reject graft and corruption.

“This is because we want that we are not only beholden and answerable to the government itself but we are also answerable to Allah,” Ebrahim said.

Ebrahim added that he hopes that the new batch of health workers will find contentment in the vocation of serving the people in the region.

Ending his speech, Ebrahim said the regional government is “forever committed to building better healthcare services” for the Bangsamoro. (PNA)