Train first to get back ambulance

Cebu City Government drafts measures to decongest CCMC like upgrading of health centers

UNLESS all of their emergency vehicle staff will undergo a comprehensive training on emergency response, the Cebu City Government will not return the ambulances to the barangays.

Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CCDRRMO) head Nagiel Bañacia said personnel who will manned the ambulances should be trained, considering that they’re dealing with lives in transporting patients to the hospital.

Bañacia said that barangays should also come up with standard operating procedures on how to respond to emergencies, particularly in establishing the communication system.

“Di pa nato i-release unless ang particular barangay kay aduna nay trained personnel,” he said.

Earlier, City ordered the recall of the ambulances, which were stationed in different barangays for inventory, including its personnel.

Aside from the existing ambulances, the City Government also acquired 18 brand new Suzuki APV ambulances worth P16.3 million.

It was purchased last March but it has yet to be distributed and are currently stored at the General Services Office.

Long overdue

Even in previous years, Councilor Dave Tumulak said the City already set aside P5 million for the training of all the ambulance personnel through Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation (Eruf).

Tumulak, however, said that the training has not been realized.

“It’s a long overdue. They have to conduct the training as soon as possible,” said Tumulak, who used to chair the disaster council of the city.

After the recall of ambulances, Bañacia said 18 paramedics under the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) of the City has already started their two-week training with Eruf. After them, those paramedics who used to board ambulances from the barangays will be the next, Bañacia said.

Under the administration of Mayor Tomas Osmeña, Bañacia said that aside from responding to emergency calls, ambulances should help decongest the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).

He said that CCMC is con- gested because even those light emergency cases that can be treated inside the ambulances were brought to the hospital, adding more patients inside the emergency room.

As to decongesting CCMC, Bañacia said they’re also conceptualizing measures that would include upgrading of health centers in the barangays, so other cases like giving birth will be accepted there.

The health center of Barangay Mabolo has been considered as a pilot area for the project. RVC