Cotabato City (March 25, 2020)—Initial set of medical supplies and equipment, intended to augment the needs of the health workers in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), has arrived Tuesday, March 24, at the Bangsamoro Government Center in Cotabato City.
BARMM Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 Spokesperson Mohammad Asnin Pendatun said the procurement of these medical supplies and equipment is part of the Bangsamoro Government’s comprehensive plan to combat the spread of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
“Priority natin dito yung mga fronliners natin, especially yung mga nurses at doctors. We need to make sure that their needs are well taken cared of or considered at the very least,” Pendatun said.
The supplies, carried by the Philippine Airforce’s C 130 cargo plane, include boxes of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), surgical masks, 70% Isoprophyl alcohol, disinfection solution, thermal scanners, assorted medicines (multivitamins, vitamin C, paracetamol), and misting tents.
“Actually, itong mga dumating na ‘to, kulang pa ang mga ito. Initial palang ito mula dun sa mga supplies natin na awaiting to be transported lang,” Pendatun said.
“Yung logistics involved in transporting these is very challenging, given the lockdown and community quarantines imposed by LGUs, kaya we asked for the help of the security sector, the AFP through C-130 para mapabilis yung pag-ta-transport,” he added.
Pendatun said that these supplies will also be distributed to Provincial Emergency Operations Center (EOCs) in the five provinces of BARMM namely: Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao.
He said procurement of more relief goods and medical supplies is still underway and the same goods and supplies are expected to arrive in the Bangsamoro Government Center this week.
Meanwhile, the BARMM’s Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on COVID-19 is also finalizing its mechanisms and guidelines in distributing the relief packs and medical supplies and equipment considering the existing quarantine and social distancing.
“As soon as matapos natin yung guidelines, we will start the distribution immediately,” Pendatun said. (Bureau of Public Information)
