By Marie Tonette Marticio
TACLOBAN City - The Department of Health (DOH) Eastern Visayas has turned over P85 million worth of ambulance and equipment that would be deployed to different local government units (LGUs) in the region.
DOH Region 8 Director Dr. Minerva Molon said the 34 units of ambulance were procured last year, costing P2.448 million each. It has medical equipment and emergency kits pursuant to the licensing safety standards and requirements.
She added that these would be distributed among pre-identified LGUs who requested for the said vehicles.
The first five recipients were Catarman, Northern Samar; Calbayog City, Samar; Sta. Fe, Tolosa, and Villaba Polyclinic in Leyte province.
"We prioritized the first five recipients based on their need. These are the LGUs with a confirmed case of COVID-19 and the present condition of their ambulance," she explained.
She added that this would help them ensure faster response of emergency care service, transport, and referral of patients to the next higher facility.
Molon likewise appealed to the LGU-recipients to take care of the vehicles for their enhanced delivery of emergency health services in their area.