Without ambulances, poor barangays find unique ways to transport the sick

In emergency situations, every second counts.  Getting to the hospital swiftly can spell the difference between life and death.  This is why it’s so important for public hospitals and health centers to have their own ambulances. But it’s not enough for an ambulance to be roadworthy. An ambulance should also be equipped with oxygen tanks, cardiac monitors and defibrillators—basic medical equipment that paramedics use to treat patients in critical condition.  In an episode that aired on May 24, the GMA Public Affairs show "Rescue" visited several barangays that lack access to any ambulance. Here, residents have to find creative ways to transport patients who need emergency care. The residents of Paradise Heights in Tondo, Manila (formerly Smokey Mountain), for example, use a tricycle as their ambulance.  The vehicle not only lacks proper medical equipment, but can be unsafe to ride because it has no doors.  In a situation caught on camera by the “Rescue” team, a teenage boy with a mental condition even attempted to jump out of the tricycle while en route to the hospital.

In Bulacan, the residents of Barangay Muzon in San Jose del Monte have been using a barangay patrol car ever since their lone ambulance broke down from overuse.  A simple multipurpose cab, the vehicle lacks both first-aid equipment and doors and is hardly adequate to serve the barangay’s 100,000 residents.  “Minsan maghahatid ang ambulansya. Paghatid sa Maynila, hindi pa man napapatay, may dadating na na naaksidente ulit, or may manganganak, o nakagat ng aso na dadalhin agad sa Maynila para ulit mabigyan ng pang-unang lunas,” says Joseph Mendoza, a resident of Brgy. Muzon. Watch a clip from the episode here:  "Rescue" is a reality docu-drama program that airs every Thursday on GMA 7, 11:30 PM (right after Saksi).  Follow “Rescue” on Facebook and Twitter. --CV/PF, GMA News Online