14 new partner hospitals to join BARMM's AMBaG program before year ends

COTABATO CITY— Fourteen new hospitals are expected to join the roster of medical institutions under Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim's Ayudang Medikal Mula sa Bangsamoro Government (AMBaG) before the year ends.

Accordingly, these additional 14 medical institutions will supplement the 28 current partner hospitals of the program strategically found in and out of the Bangsamoro region. Six (6) of these are located in Sulu, three (3) are from Tawi-Tawi, two (2) are from Lanao del Sur, one (1) is from Maguindanao, and another one (1) is from the Province of Palawan.

In an exclusive interview with AMBaG's Program Manager Cabinet Secretary Moh'd Asnain Pendatun last month, he mentioned that the Government of the Day eyed adding more hospitals to ensure that Bangsamoro communities could access the program.

"We're still adding hospitals that are very strategic na labas na sa BARMM territory and currently ang very soon na madadagdag sa roster of hospitals natin ay sa Palawan," he said.

From December 2019 to September 2022, the program has already served 38, 237 patients. Of this figure, the majority (18, 281) are women followed by children (11,026), and men (9,020) patients. 

It is also interesting to note that 73.69% (28,245) patients had walked out of the hospital with zero balance after availing of AMBaG and other medical benefits.

In response to the ongoing pandemic, the program has also helped 1,266 covid-related cases.

As they strategized the implementation, Pendatun disclosed that the Program's marching order to desk officers is to ensure that patients will be discharged from the hospital as soon as they availed of the AMBaG's benefits.

"Ayaw natin na maging dahilan pa iyong AMBaG na ma-delay yung paglabas ng pasyente," he said.

As of September 2022, the program has already disbursed Php266,933,183.00