THE Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm), through the help of its nongovernment organizations partners, has committed to address insufficiency of ventilators in the hospitals across the region.

A ventilator is a machine necessary for treating coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients, who suffer from severe pneumonia or Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS).

Dr. Saffrullah Dipatuan, Barmm's minister of health, said Wednesday, April 15, that there are only three ventilators available in the whole region and "these are all in Maguindanao Provincial Hospital."

"Only those hospitals with Intensive Care Units (ICU) can have ventilators. As of now, the hospital in Barmm which has ICU is the Maguindanao Provincial Hospital only," Dipatuan added.

To address this, Dipatuan said that 15 more ventilators are expected to be installed in the Maguindanao Provincial Hospital and other Covid-19 referral hospitals in the region through the help of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Aside from that, the health official said someone from the international relief organization visited them and signified to donate ventilators.

Meanwhile, Barmm is studying all the possibilities of setting up more laboratories to help speed up the testing of Covid-19 cases in the region.

Dipatuan said the ministry is currently coordinating with the Ministry of Public Works (MPW-Barmm) for the possibility of constructing a Covid-19 testing laboratory in the region.

Recently, Barmm has allocated a total amount of P14.1 million to the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC) in Cotabato City for the procurement of medical and laboratory supplies to carry out diagnostic testing for Covid-19.

CRMC is the only hospital within the area of Barmm that is close in meeting the requirements and technical capabilities of conducting laboratory tests for Covid-19. (SunStar Zamboanga)