AFP receives ICU beds, Covid-19 cold storage units

From the Mindanao Examiner (Oct 31, 2021): AFP receives ICU beds, Covid-19 cold storage units

THE US military has donated intensive care unit beds and Covid-19 vaccine cold storage units to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

The donation of the medical equipment and supplies was received by AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Jose Faustino Jr. The ceremony, held at the AFP General Headquarters, was attended by US Embassy Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, David Gamble, who said the donation is intended to support AFP Health Service Command under Brig. Gen. Edgar Cardinoza.

Representatives from the Joint US Military Assistance Group-Philippines joined Gamble during a tour of the Victoriano Luna General Hospital following the ceremony that provided a firsthand look at how past and future donations will be used to support the AFP’s Covid-19 care facilities.

“The AFP is grateful to the United States government for the donations, which will surely enhance our capacity to afford our military personnel and their dependents the best healthcare services that we can provide,” Faustino said.

“We will ensure that these equipment and supplies will be fully utilized to fulfill not only our COVID-19 response efforts, but also other medical needs of our personnel who incessantly render faithful and dedicated service to the Filipino people,” he added.

To date, the US has provided more than P1.9 billion ($37.47 million) to support the Philippines’ Covid-19 response. “This is just another step in our long partnership as treaty allies that has been going strong for 70 years. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Philippines and the AFP in this fight against Covid-19,” Gamble said.

The Philippines is the United States’ oldest treaty ally in Asia. This joint US-Philippine partnership builds on decades of bilateral military cooperation in humanitarian assistance and disaster response, counterterrorism, maritime security, and many other fields.

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