Hospital ships ipadala sa Hong Kong– solon

Ni NOEL ABUEL

Umapela ang isang kongresista sa mga ahensya ng  pamahalaan partikular sa Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) at Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) na tulungan ang mga overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) sa Hong Kong na inabandona ng kanilang mga employers dahil sa pagkakaroon ng COVID-19.

“I appeal to the DOH, DFA, DND, DSWD, and DOLE to quickly send at least one or two hospital ships to Hong Kong to provide emergency COVID medical care for Filipinos there,” sabi ni Agusan del Norte Rep. Lawrence Fortun.

“While those hospital ships are being prepared for their mercy mission, I ask these and other concerned agencies to immediately deploy a rapid response team to Hong Kong made up of doctors, nurses, medical technologists, social workers, psychiatrists, and other health care workers,” dagdag pa nito.

Paliwanag ni Fortun na habang patuloy na bumababa ang COVID-19 cases sa bansa ay dapat na ituon na lamang ng pamahalaan ang pagtulong sa mga nakakaawang kondisyon ng mga OFWs sa Hong Kong na pinababayaan na ng kanilang mga employers.

Panawagan din ng kongresista sa mga international ships na tumulong at magpadala ng isa o dalawang barko para tulungan ang government hospital ships sa paglikas sa mga OFWs sa nasabing bansa.

“We appeal further to the major Filipino firms with international cruise ships to lend one or two of their vessels to Hong Kong to augment the government’s hospital ships. This is a time when your blessings can be shared with our kababayans in dire need of help,” sabi pa nito.

“Sending these ships to Hong Kong might be the best option available to our government because the HK hospitals are swamped with COVID cases and our OFWs may no longer have immediate access to urgent medical intervention at this time when its healthcare system is already overwhelmed,” paliwanag pa ng kongresista.

Idinagdag pa ni Fortun na kung tutulong din ang Philippine Red Cross (PRC) na magpadala ng mga assets and personnel ay malaking tulong din ito.

“We appeal as well to the PRC to coordinate with the Red Cross in Hong Kong, so they can also provide help to Filipinos there,” ayon pa sa mambabatas.