CAGAYAN DE ORO, Aug. 26 (PIA)–Department of Health (DOH)–10 Regional Director Dr. Adriano Suba-an commended the Philippine National Police (PNP)-10 Health Service for ensuring peace and security in Northern Mindanao amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic during the PNP-10’s 27th anniversary celebration.
“We need to have perseverance and patience; we need to work unceasingly. The health workers are in the frontlines, leading close behind are the police forces who are often thrust into new roles as they engage and enforce new policies and laws governing new societal behaviors such as following the minimum health standards to prevent the spread of the virus,” Suba-an said.
Since the start of the declaration of COVID-19 as a public health pandemic, March 8, DOH-10 and PNP-10 have been closely working together in tackling the health and security concerns in the region alongside with its Regional Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases (RIATF-IED) members in the mitigation of the spread of the virus and handling the crisis.
“On our subsequent multi-sectoral response, we have met so many challenges. We know that some police personnel have tested positive, emplaced in quarantine and even in hospitals. This has affected the human resource available for law enforcement and has brought major challenges to the PNP health service as it continues to ensure the health and well-being of the PNP personnel and its dependents in this time of the pandemic,” he said.
Despite the challenges they are juggling because of the health crisis, Suba-an lauds the PNP-10 Health Service for its interventions and discipline in protecting citizens and calls for stronger collaboration on both public and private sectors as he proffers unyielding support until the red-letter day of the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine.
“There is a challenge to the PNP to make the necessary adjustments to protect their police forces and staff from the virus while assuring the public’s safety needs for the community, however, the police cannot do it alone. It takes an entire community working with the police to sustain long term public safety,” he urged. (VPSB/PIA10)
