Zamboanga del Sur – The Philippine Army’s 53rd Infantry “Matapat” Battalion (53IB) and 547th Engineer “Agila” Battalion (547EBn) extended humanitarian assistance as they transported a total of 89 refilled oxygen tanks from Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental to Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center (ZDSMC) in Barangay Dao, Pagadian City on September 16, 2021.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated global demand for oxygen and has increased the need for oxygen to 1.1 million cylinders in low to middle-income countries alone.
53IB Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Jo-ar Herrera said the refilled oxygen tanks will be of great help in these trying times.
“These refilled oxygen tanks will be of great help in this time of pandemic, as most patients ill with COVID-19 require oxygen and supportive therapy for survival as there remains no conclusively established curative therapy,” said Lt. Col. Herrera.
The refilled oxygen tanks from Tagoloan will significantly aid hospitals in Zamboanga del Sur as the delivery of oxygen supplies are now more urgent than ever.
(Source: 53rd Infantry Battalion, photo courtesy of artillery transformation Roadmap)
