BARMM kicks off anti-polio vaccine campaign amid Covid-19

Cotabato City (July 20, 2020)—Despite the ongoing crisis brought about by Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) pandemic, the Bangsamoro Government’s Ministry of Health (MOH) will ensure that no child in the BARMM will be left unvaccinated against poliovirus. READ MORE...

Cotabato City (June 19, 2020)—The Bangsamoro Government’s Ministry of Health (MOH-BARMM) hired forty-two (42) health workers and maintenance personnel to man the Covid-19 isolation facility in Cotabato Sanitarium Hospital, in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.

BARMM’s Health Minister Dr. Saffrullah Dipatuan led the contract signing and oath taking ceremony of 27 nurses, 3 respiratory therapists, 4 maintenance personnel, and 8 security personnel on Friday, June 19, 2020 at the MOH’s Training Hall in Cotabato City.

“This move is in line with BARMM’s immediate response to Covid-19 health emergency,” Dipatuan stressed.

Dipatuan noted that the salaries of the said Human Resource for Health (HRH) personnel will come from the Department of Health-Central Office and will be sub-allotted to MOH-BARMM.

“We asked assistance from the Department of Health to recruit new Human Resources for Health because we do not have sufficient number of staff to man our isolation facility,” Dipatuan said.

On May 28, the Bangsamoro Government, through the MOH-BARMM and Ministry of Public Works, inaugurated the isolation center in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao which was built in 40 days.

In yesterday’s press briefing, Cabinet Secretary Mohd Asnin Pendatun said that BARMM will continue supporting the operations of the isolation facility through the Office of the Chief Minister.

“Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim has approved to provide the food supply for COVID-19 positive patients that would be admitted to the isolation facility”, he said.

Cotabato Sanitarium Hospital Chief Dr. Ibrahim V. Pangato, Jr. emphasized that the new set of health personnel have already undergone basic training on infectious control prior to deployment.

“We need teamwork to fight Covid-19, since only the Bangsamoro will help our fellow Bangsamoro,” Pangato asserted. (Bureau of Public Information)

Covid-19 cases in BARMM now at 72, BIATF prompts LGUs to tighten measures

Cotabato City (June 18,2020)—Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) now has a total of 72 confirmed Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases according to the region’s Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).

BIATF spokesperson Mohd Asnin Pendatun said as of today, June 18, of these 72 cases, 56 are considered active cases, 12 have recovered and 4 died.

Pendatun noted that the six (6) latest positive cases recorded on June 17, and another one (1) on June 18, were Locally Stranded Indivisuals (LSI) and Returning Overseas Filipino Workers (ROFs) who availed the Hatid Probinsya Program of the government.

“These new cases are 3 LSI in Lanao del Sur, 3 Returning OFW in Maguindanao and just today, 1 LSI from Maguindanao was added to our list of confirmed cases,” Pendatun said during a press briefing here on Thursday.

With the rapid increase of Covid-19 cases in the BARMM, Health Minister Dr. Saffrullah Dipatuan reminds the Local Government Units (LGU) to be vigilant.

While the BARMM supports the government’s Hatid Probinsya program, Dipatuan noted that the increase of Covid-19 cases in the region is linked to the LSI and ROFs, thus, proper coordination with the LGU is necessary.

Dipatuan also affirmed that there are also people who violate community quarantines and do not abide by the travel restrictions imposed by some LGUs.

“We appeal to everyone, especially those who travel by land to pass through the protocol, you can’t just go back to your communities without coordination with the LGUs,” Dipatuan stressed.

He said the LGU must be keen on any suspicious actions done by these people and immediately report them to the police stations.

“We have to ask for the law enforcers’ assistance to protect our health workers, because we have reports of harrassments towards our front liners,” Dipatuan explained.

As of today, BARMM was able to document only 150 LSI who were brought back to their communities through a sweeper flight early this June.

Meanwhile, the BIATF said that the implementation of Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) will be until the end of June.

Spokesperson Pendatun advised the community to continue following the minimum health standards such as physical distancing, wearing of face mask and using alcohol and sanitizers.

He also reiterated the regional Darul Ifta’s reminder to the community to observe the 50% capacity rule in conducting prayers in the mosques. (Bureau of Public Information)