BARMM receives medical supplies, equipment from National TF

 By Albashir Saiden 

 

TURNOVER. Officials of the National Task Force on coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) turned over Thursday (June 3) to their counterparts in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) various medical supplies, equipment, and test kits to help the region in its fight to its fight against the Covid-19 virus. National Task Force on Covid-19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez (extreme left) led the handing over of the donation following a meeting with the BARMM Inter-Agency Task Force on Covid-19 at the headquarters of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao. (Photo by BPI-BARMM)

COTABATO CITY – The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) received Thursday boxes of medical supplies and equipment from the National Task Force (TF) on coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

The turnover ceremony took place following a meeting by the National Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) with their counterparts at the headquarters of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID) in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.

Included in the medical supplies and equipment are 1,000 KN95 face masks and 10,000 personal protective equipment.

The National IATF, through Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, has procured a total of 23,000 rapid test kits for BARMM.

Delfin said the rapid test kits would be equally distributed to all the five BARMM provinces, as well as Cotabato City and the 6ID.

National TF chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. noted that they have coordinated with the local government of Zamboanga City in licensing three testing facilities that can be used by the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

“We will have [testing centers] in Zamboanga City with more or less 1,200 to 2,000 capacity. It is intended for the three island provinces,” he said.

Galvez said plans are also underway to develop a Covid-19 testing center in the heart of Sulu.

To date, the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC) here is the only certified testing facility in BARMM and Region 12 that can test up to 72 samples daily via the Gene Xpert machine.

The National TF is also looking forward to providing reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction machines for CRMC that could test up to 1,000 samples, Galvez said. (PNA)