FASTER RESPONSE. The sea ambulance turned over by the Department of Health (DOH) to the local government unit of Bato town, Leyte province on March 13, 2023. The town is the first recipient of such an ambulance in the province. (Photo courtesy of DOH Eastern Visayas)
TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Health (DOH) regional office here has turned over to the local government unit of Bato town, the first sea ambulance in Leyte province.
DOH Eastern Visayas Regional Director Exuperia Sabalberino on Tuesday said the PHP4-million sea ambulance is funded through the Health Facilities Enhancement Program as part of its support to boost health programs of local government units in the region.
The ambulance was turned over to the local government on March 13 and is equipped with a stretcher, automatic external defibrillator, nebulizer, portable suction machines, oxygen cylinder, and other medical equipment and accessories.
"The sea ambulance can be used to transport individuals in need of immediate care to the appropriate health facilities. This will address the limited availability of sea transport services," Sabalberino said in an interview.
Beneficiaries are residents of the island village of Dawahon, the biggest in the town and a community of fishermen and seaweed farmers with a population of more than 4,000.
“We hope, with this sea ambulance, this will support the implementation of Universal Health Care in Bato town. What Universal Health Care means is that all Filipinos are guaranteed to receive quality and affordable health care services. Through this, I’m very positive that there will be an improvement in terms of access of all the constituents of this municipality to quality health care services.” Sabalberino added.
In a statement Mayor Nathaniel Gertos thanked the DOH for choosing them to receive the sea ambulance, adding that his administration has been working hard to ensure that the medical and health needs of the people are provided.
Aside from sea ambulance, the DOH also turned over to the local government the PHP8-million infirmary.
Other towns in Eastern Visayas that received sea ambulances earlier are Tarangnan in Samar province; and the towns of Biri, Capul, San Antonio, and San Vicente in Northern Samar province. (PNA)
