DOH air ambulance takes first flight

The Department of Health's (DOH) air ambulance has been used to transport a young hit-and-run patient from Coron, Palawan to Manila last week.

Eduardo Janairo, DOH-Mimaropa (Region 4B) director, on Sunday announced that the air ambulance transported a five-year-old hit-and-run victim from Coron, Palawan to Batangas last March 16.

From the Batangas airport in Tanauan City, the victim was brought to the Philippine General Hospital in Manila.

Janairo said it took only two hours for the child to be transported to Manila.

He said the child was rushed to the Coron District Hospital at 6 p.m. last Wednesday, the same day that the DOH launched two air ambulances — a six-seater Cessna 2016 and 4-seater Robinson R44 chopper.

"After we were informed of the patient's case the next day, the air ambulance was immediately dispatched to Coron at 10:30am to transport her to PGH Taft Avenue, Manila and arrived at 12:30pm. The Cessna 206 was used to convey the patient from Coron Airport to Tanauan Airport in Batangas," Janairo stated.

In a statement, Janairo said that soon patients from the provinces can be directly airlifted to Metro Manila.

He said that the local government of Marikina City will provide two landing areas for the R44 chopper air ambulance.

"We will also be coordinating with the city's Rescue 161 to assist us in the transfer of patients to hospitals," he said.

"Improvements will be made in the delivery of emergency care as we make headway, such as reducing delays in the transport of patients. We are hoping to have more landing clearances and access to areas with helipads and airports to avoid delay brought about by traffic congestions near health facilities in Metro Manila for a more rapid response in transferring patients," the DOH regional head added. —ALG, GMA News