The Department of Health (DOH) Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) continued to distribute ambulances and dental buses as part of the P80-million allocation for the procurement of the medical transports under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program. The HFEP aims for the improvement of health facilities and special service delivery units in the rural areas.
DOH Calabarzon Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo turned over on Wednesday three ambulances and one dental bus to the municipalities of Biñan in Laguna, Lobo and San Luis in Batangas and Padre Burgos in Quezon.
“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 said during a ceremony at the Quirino Memorial Medical Center Grounds in Quezon City.
According to him, 36 of the 49 units were already allocated and the additional 13 are still to be distributed to eligible local government units.
“Let us not forget these units were given to provide prompt basic and advanced life-support services for patients in rural areas 24/7,” Janairo added.
The first dental bus was given to the provincial government of Batangas.
The donated land ambulances is an Asian utility vehicle- type with an MPV of 2.5 liters diesel, four cylinder, 16 valves, dual overhead camshaft, variable nozzle turbo with front mounted intercooler and fuel injection with common rail fuel system and fitted with necessary medical equipment, such as BP apparatus, first-aid kit, oxygen tank, oxygen tank regulator, minor surgical set, manual resuscitator, stethoscope, automatic external defibrillator, fire extinguisher and a led flashlight.
The dental bus is furnished with two dental chairs, dental bed, a basin (complete with faucet setup) and compartments for medical equipment and medicines, dental tools and power inverter that will enable it to operate in powerless communities.
“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,” Janairo concluded.