COTABATO CITY — —The Bangsamoro Government on Thursday, has officially launched the region’s first of its kind isolation and treatment facility for Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) located in the municipality of Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.
The 100-bed capacity isolation facility, which was completed in just 40 days through the BARMM’s Ministry of Public Works (MPW), was turned-over to the management of Cotabato Sanitarium Hospital (CSH) and is expected to start operation in two weeks’ time.
The launching and ribbon-cutting ceremony was led by BARMM Chief Minister Ahod ‘Al-Haj Murad’ Ebrahim.
Ebrahim said this is among Bangsamoro Inter-Agency Task Force’s (BARMM-IATF) immediate responses to manage and contain the spread of Covid-19 in the region.
“As a result of our resolve to combat this disease, here we are today, fulfilling another phase in this battle,”the chief minister said.
“The BIATF made sure that basic services were delivered, preventive measures were in place and most importantly, sustainable efforts were made to assure that we can figuratively and literally isolate COVID-19,” he added.
Health Minister Dr. Safrullah Dipatuan said the constructed 1000-square meter building has undergone consultations and met the minimum standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for a Covid-19 isolation facility.
“This Covid-19 isolation center becomes very vital, without this, our task to contain this virus is too difficult if not completely impossible,” Dipatuan said.
MPW Minister Eduard Guerra added the construction of the 21-million worth Covid-19 center has gone through challenges due to quarantine restrictions, but the MPW managed to complete it on time.
“Normally when we say isolation facility, it’s temporary, but we made it permanent, so the hospital can use it as an expansion if the pandemic ends In Shaa Allah,” Guerra said.
Cotabato Sanitarum Hospital Chief Dr. Ibrahim Pangato said the facilty is a big help in containing the disease, and will not only benefit people of Maguindanao but also nearby provinces.
“This faciltiy, and to those soon to be built in other areas of BARMM, shows that the Bangsamoro Government really walks the talk and does what it preaches, no one ever thought that this will be a reality in 40-days time,” Pangato said.
The same Covid-19 isolation center is also underway in the municipality of Datu Blah Sinsuat, Maguindanao.
Thursday’s inauguration was also attended by Sultan Kudarat Mayor Datu Shameem Mastura, Member of the Parliament Datu Tucao Mastura, BIATF Spokesperson Mohd Asnin Pendatun, Chief of Staff Alvin-Yasher Abdulgafar, and DOH 12 Regional Director Aristides Concepcion Tan.-BPI
