PN modernization plan to include hospital ships

From the Daily Tribune (Dec 22): PN modernization plan to include hospital ships

Responding to Western Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento’s call for the government to invest in the acquisition of a hospital ship which could be used as a deployable medical evacuation facility (medevac) and an on-site command and control center in times of emergencies, the Phlippine Navy (PN) has expressed its commitment that it would acquire two multi-purpose sealift vessels which can be instantly turned into floating hospitals during calamities. Sarmiento said that top officials of the Philippines Navy gave their assurance that his proposed hospital ships were included in the Navy’s modernization plan and would be part of their priority program following the approval of the law extending the P75-billion Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program.

Sarmiento said Philippine Navy is set to acquire, not just one, but two strategic sealift vessels (SSV) which could be transformed into multi-role naval assets and among its core functions would be to serve as a quick response medevac facility during crisis situations. These SSVs will not just have enough rooms for makeshift hospital beds, medical emergency care and surgical facility but would also have two helipads for search and rescue choppers and air ambulances. He said that at least one SSV worth P2 billion is already scheduled for acquisition as part of the P10-billion fund earmarked by President Aquino in 2011.

Sarmiento said the SSV was only supposed to provide sealift support for the military but his urgent request for the acquisition of a hospital ship provided the navy the idea of turning the this ship into a hospital as part of its core functions as a multi-role naval asset. “The idea is that these SSVs can be transformed from one function such as a military transport vessel into to another role such as a floating hospital or even an on-site crisis management command and control facility in times of emergencies. I this is most practical especially because it will still probably take at least one or two years before we can actually have the fund to finance a hospital ship. This will do for now but our long term goal should be to be able to get a real hospital ship,” he said.

Sarmiento had been advocating for the government to acquire a hospital ship which can be deployed in the any part of the country to respond to medical emergencies during calamities such as the recent typhoon “Pablo” which left more than 1,000 people dead and almost the same number of people still missing. He said that casualties could have been lower if the government had been equipped with a floating hospital with a helicopter equipped with thermal imaging device which is a crucial tool in search and rescue operations.

Sarmiento noted that with the improved weather forecasting capabilities of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, the next goal should be to modernize the country’s assets in providing swift medical and humanitarian aid during calamities. “We have professionalized and modernized our weather bureau but we still have to improve on our disaster response capabilities. We should be more proactive instead of being reactive during disaster situations,” he said.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/nation/item/8427-pn-modernization-plan-to-include-hospital-ships