DOH air ambulance helps patients from rural areas

Seven days after its launching, the Department of Health-MIMAROPA (Oriental/Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) air ambulance has aided two patients from the island municipalities of Cuyo and Balabac in Palawan recently.

The DOH disclosed that one of the patients was a 41-year-old pregnant woman who was already in labor, while the other was a 69-year-old man suffering from a bleeding peptic ulcer. The air ambulance responses happened on Sunday and Monday.

Reports said that the pregnant woman was airlifted from Manamoc Island, one of the farthest in the Cuyo Islands cluster, and was transported to the Cuyo District Hospital where she delivered her baby.

The next day, the air ambulance proceeded to Balabac Island to retrieve another male patient. He was brought immediately to the MMG-PPC Cooperative Hospital in Puerto Princesa City.

“We will be expecting more patients to be airlifted in the coming days because we have provided a way for our indigent and indigenous communities to avail of their right to primary health care,” Regional Director Eduardo Janairo said.

“No patient should die just because he/ she doesn’t have access to a health facility. With this air ambulance program, we are hoping to save more lives,” Janairo added.

The Provincial DOH Office Emergency Unit is open 24/7, manned by Dr. Peter Hew G. Curameng, to cater to patients in need of air transport. Its emergency numbers are (0998) 549-2585 and (0917) 533-1651.