THE Department of Health (DOH) on Friday, October 16, 2020, reaffirmed its continuous free medical services among boxers and mixed martial arts fighters under the supervision of the Games and Amusements Board (GAB).

In its Department Memorandum No. 2020-0445 signed by DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III, the DOH will continue to provide free medical services to all GAB-licensed boxers and mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters until December 31, 2020, or earlier depending on the newly agreed

GAB Chairman Abraham Khalil "Baham" Mitra welcomed the DOH’s immediate response, especially during this time when professional sports, including the boxing and MMA communities, collapsed due to the pandemic.

GAB has been promoting this free medical assistance to boxers and MMA fighters as part of its reform program since Mitra took office as chief.

With the successful implementation of this medical program, World Boxing Council (WBC) President Mauricio Sulaiman and the international boxing community has recognized it. Sulaiman also issued a memorandum to use the GAB medical program as a blueprint for more than 100 members and affiliated boxing organizations of the WBC.