MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)--To accommodate more Covid-19 patients in critical condition in Lanao del Sur, the Ministry of Health (MOH) provided additional electric Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds and medical supplies to Amai Pakpak Medical Center (APMC) in this city.
Health Minister Dr. Bashary Latiph led the turnover of five sets of electric ICU beds complete with accessories, personal protective equipment, and various medical supplies to APMC on Monday, August 23.
Donated by the United States Civil-Military Support Element, the ICU beds have special features both for the comfort of the patient and for the convenience of health care workers.
“Yung dala niyo po [the one you brought] is very timely now that we are expanding our stations so that we can add 10-20 more beds so we can mitigate itong nangyayari na surge dito sa [ this ongoing surge here at] APMC,” said Hospital Chief Dra. Shalimar Rakiin, thanking the Bangsamoro Government.
Rakiin said that the critical care utilization rate of APMC is at 90% and the 20 beds for ICU are already filled up to 90%.
"And then for the hospital care utilization, yung aming binigay na [the] 150 dedicated hospital beds [that we provided] is at 96%, today we have 144 admissions,” she further said.
APMC is one of DOH’s retained hospitals and Covid-19 referral hospitals which caters to patients coming from Lanao del Sur and nearby cities and provinces like Iligan City, Cagayan de Oro City, and municipalities from Lanao del Norte and Misamis Occidental.
Meanwhile, Latiph praised the health care workers for their exemplary work in fighting the crisis. “Our job is no joke. Despite the riskiness of our profession, you continue to manage your patients. We salute all of you for your heroic act as you chose to fight rather than surrender,” he said.
He also explained how the pandemic affected the delivery of health services and the health care system as a whole.
“Itong global health crisis ay binago yung health care system natin, dalawa na yung ICU. May ICU for non-Covid, may ICU for Covid, at meron nang separate operating rooms sa Covid and non-Covid… binago yung health care system natin 360 degrees,” said Latiph
[This global health crisis has changed our health care system, there are two ICUs now. There is an ICU for non-Covid, there is an ICU for Covid, and there are already separate operating rooms for Covid and non-Covid… our health care system has been changed 360 degrees.]
Latiph and his team also transferred 1,520 vials of Sinovac vaccine to Marawi City Health Office and turned over similar five sets of electric ICU beds to Dr. Serapio Montaner District Hospital in Malabang Municipality. (Bangsamoro Information Office)
