AFP, MMC renew partnership to improve military hospitals

From the Philippine Information Agency (May 1): AFP, MMC renew partnership to improve military hospitals

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Makati Medical Center Foundation (MMC) recently renewed its partnership to provide health care services to the men and women of the armed forces.

AFP chief of staff General Eduardo Año and MMC Foundation chairman Manuel Pangilinan led the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) at the AFP General Headquarters in Quezon City.

MMC Foundation Chair Manuel Pangilinan, recognizes that the lives of the soldiers are always on the line in protecting and defending the lives of the people.

He said that he felt the need to reach out to the soldiers and for them to feel their significance and importance in the society.

“We cant say thank you enough for all the services you have rendered and it is just a small way of saying thank you from the private sector,” Pangilinan said.

Through its Health Heroes Program, the MMC Health Services department agreed to help coordinate and facilitate the health management and care of the qualified AFP Officers and enlisted personnel.

This means that soldiers can now have access anew to the best health care facilities in all 21 AFP partner hospitals throughout the country.

This flagship program is a renewal and expansion of the MOA signed by the AFP, AFPMC and MMC Foundation on 19 June 2013, providing for the organizational Strengthening of the AFP Medical Center.

This partnership was also renewed on 10 September 2015 - providing for an expansion of the PPP Program for Organizational Strengthening in an additional 19 AFP hospitals and military medical treatment facilities.

The agreement will also allow MMC to share its technical resources and open their hospital facilities to training, coaching, workshops, conferences, and mentoring sessions free to all AFP and partner military hospitals resident doctors and management staff.

This also means that through their partner hospitals, MMC Foundation will give or donate more hospital equipment, beds, supplies and fixtures to improve all military hospitals throughout the country.

The AFP also designated the MMC Foundation as an official Blood Donation Institutional partner to facilitate the regular conduct of blood donation drives between the AFP and MMC Foundation.

General Eduardo Año said the renewal of partnership is very timely for the military since the armed forces is currently engaged in multi-faceted operations against the forces that seek to destroy the peace and order of our nation. “Simple as it may seem, but it will bring enormous impact on the lives of the soldiers."

“Through our Health Heroes Program, our soldiers can now have access with the exceptional health services in our first rate hospitals in the country. The men and women of the AFP will be more inspired to fulfill their mandate in protecting the peace and security of the country knowing that a health care program supports them” General Euardo Año added.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/241493305655/afp-mmc-renew-partnership-to-improve-military-hospitals