DOH: BARMM ICU capacity slightly Increased

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) has recorded a slight increase in the occupancy rate of intensive care unit (ICU) beds for COVID patients in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

At a press conference on Friday, DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said BARMM logged 11 severe and critical cases in 20 beds.

“Hospitals have a very small space that can accommodate beds in their ICU section so even if admission of patients is low, this results in an increase in health care utilization rate,” she said.

Vergeire stressed the need to increase vaccination coverage in the BARMM, which remains the lowest for the primary series among all regions in the country at 55.24 percent.

She appealed to international and local health partners of the DOH to provide funding assistance for operational gaps and human resource deployment to increase the vaccination rate as well as support its monitoring and implementation, especially in Sulu and Basilan.

“We need to maximize our partners’ strengths and support to develop innovative and culturally appropriate strategies to encourage people in BARMM and other priority areas to get vaccinated,” Vergeire said in a statement.

During the 3rd Multisector Governance Council (MSGC) meeting held recently, Vergeire called on DOH partners to support efforts to bolster vaccination coverage in BARMM and other identified areas.

The MSGC is a group of key health partners, including leaders from foreign government support agencies, who assist the DOH in pursuing its reform agenda.