COTABATO CITY (PIA)--The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) government, through its Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) has released a total of P19, 967,870 in medical aid to 1,507 eligible patients in Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC) here since October 2020.

According to the MSSD, the funds were released to beneficiaries through the ministry’s Bangsamoro Critical Assistance for Indigents in Response to Emergency Situations (B-CARES) program.

“In CRMC, we have a social worker assigned at Malasakit Center whom relatives of indigent patients can seek aid from,” MSSD Minister Atty. Raissa Jajurie said. 

The B-CARES program is design to cover hospitalization expenses, cost of medicines, and other medical treatments or procedures such as laboratory fees, dialysis, chemotherapy, computed tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and anti-retroviral therapy.

Patients can also avail of the services under the B-CARES program from the ministry’s other partner hospitals including Cotabato Sanitarium Hospital, and the Integrated Provincial Health Office in Maguindanao; the Amai Pakpak Medical Center in Marawi City; and the Community Health Service Cooperative Hospital (COHESCO) and Dr. R.A.M. Albutra General Hospital in North Cotabato.

Also included among partner facilities are the Basilan General Hospital and Lamitan District Hospital in Basilan; the Sulu Integrated Provincial Hospital and Pangutaran District Hospital in Sulu; and the Datu Halun Sakilan Memorial Hospital in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.

Further, in partnership with Mercury Drug Store here, MSSD has also covered P12.8 million worth of medicines for 1,880 patients from May 19 to September 30. (With reports from BIO-BARMM).