The Department of Health in Calabarzon yesterday turned over three out of 49 land ambulances and one of two dental buses to the municipalities of Biñan in Laguna, Lobo and San Luis in Batangas, and Padre Burgos in Quezon.
DoH Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo said of the 49 units, 36 were already allocated, with the additional 13 still to be distributed to eligible local government units.
“My only request to the local executives and recipients of these units is to manage them effectively, take good care of them and use them as intended, an emergency medical transport for patients needing immediate treatment and care,” Janairo stated during the turnover ceremony held at the Quirino Memorial Medical Center Grounds in Quezon City.
“Let us not forget that these units were given to provide prompt basic and advanced life support services for patients in rural areas 24/7,” he added.
Among the recipients of the ambulances are the provincial government of Batangas (one dental bus), the municipalities of Lobo, San Luis and Mabini in Batangas; Barangay Dolores in Taytay, Rizal; Antipolo City and barangays Muntindilaw, Beverly Hills, Mambugan, San Isidro and Mayamot in Antipolo; the Lone District of Binan (one dental bus) and Pagsanjan in Laguna.
Also receiving vehicles were the municipalities of Agdangan, Buenavista, Catanauan, General Luna, Macalelon, Mulanay, Padre Burgos, Pitogo, San Andres, San Francisco, San Narciso and Unsan in Quezon; three ambulances to the Cainta Municipal Hospital; three to Taytay Emergency Hospital; two to the Rizal Provincial Hospital System in Angono; and two to Rizal Provincial Hospital System Margarito A. Duavit Hospital in Binangonan.
The donated land ambulances are an Asian Utility Vehicles fitted with necessary medical equipment such as blood pressure apparatus, first aid kit, oxygen tank, oxygen tank regulator, minor surgical set, manual resuscitator, stethoscope, automatic external defibrillator, fire extinguisher and an LED flashlight.
The dental bus is furnished with two dental chairs, dental bed, a basin (complete with faucet set-up), and compartments for medical equipment and medicines, dental tools and power inverter that will enable it to operate in powerless communities.
DOH has allocated P80 million for the procurement of the medical transports under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP), which aims for the improvement of health facilities and special service delivery units in the rural areas, Janairo added.
“This emergency units will attend to emergencies, disaster and rescue operations in the rural communities, especially those in remote barangays and with these units in placed, we can lessen impediments in health care delivery,” he said.