Private hospitals abuse Cebu City ambulances?

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council is calling the representatives of all private hospitals in the city to a meeting to shed light on the alleged abuses in the use of the city ambulances.

Councilor Dave Tumulak, chairman of the CCDRRMC, said most private hospitals refuse to conduct patients and would instead request the city government to do it on their behalf.

“Gipahimuslan sa mga private hospitals. Sa una i-lang ambulance maoy mokuha sa mga patients apan karon mo-refused sila kay guba ilang ambulance. Part man unta na sa pagbayad sa mga tawo,” Tumulak said.

 This prompted the city government to set a limit in the use of city ambulances by the private medical facilities. The city has 10 ambulances, including the three newly-purchased ambulances amounting to P4.5 million using the city’s share from the operations of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

 The three brand new emergency medical ambulances, which are equipped with life saving equipment, will be catering, for free, at least 15 barangays in the city, including Barangays Kinasang-an, Basak Pardo, Quiot, Basak San Nicolas, Mambaling, Duljo Fatima, Sawang Calero, Pasil, San Nicolas, Guadalupe, among others. 

 However, Tumulak said these will not be distributed to the barangays unlike the previous ones.

“Maglisod pag-maintain ang barangay with lack of personnel, drivers, and paramedics,” he explained. 

 CCDRRMC has 65 well-trained paramedics and Intravenous therapists.

The City Council also approved recently P5 million to be utilized in strengthening and intensifying the emergency response and operations of Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation in northern Cebu.

 ERUF will be conducting trainings and seminars among officials and residents in local villages on how to be “first responders” in times of calamities or disasters.  (FREEMAN)