Four Antique hospitals have each received a sea ambulance under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) of the Department of Health (DOH).

The ambulances, worth PHP3.5 million each, arrived at the Lipata Port in the municipality of Culasi last week.

After inspecting the vehicles on Thursday, Dr. Feman Rene Autajay, DOH Provincial Team Leader, said in an interview that the ambulances, made of fiberglass, are propelled by a 115 horsepower Suzuki engine and can go 15 knots to 18 knots per km.

The four target hospital recipients are the Angel Salazar Memorial General Hospital in San Jose de Buenavista, Diosdado Macapagal District Hospital in Tobias Fornier, Culasi District Hospital in Culasi town, and Ramon Maza Sr. District Hospital in Sibalom.

Autajay, however, noted that because the Ramon Maza Sr. District Hospital is situated in the inland municipality of Sibalom, they leave it to the provincial government to decide how the sea ambulance could be best used.

“After our acceptance of the sea ambulance from the supplier, we will let the provincial government decide where to give it,” he said.

The sea ambulances, he said, are necessary because most of the province’s 18 towns are located in coastal areas.

“If ever we have emergency cases or operations, the sea ambulances could be used to transport the patients to the hospitals,” Autajay said.

He added that the ambulances would be fitted with medical equipment in 2022, using funds under the HFEP program. (PNA)