NTF to provide equipment to BARMM for COVID-19 fight

The National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19 will provide additional support equipment to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to bolster its fight against the virus.

On Wednesday, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., chief implementer of the NTF, announced that 4,000 sets of personal protective equipment, 4,000 N95 masks, 4,000 surgical masks, and 10,900 testing kits will be handed over to hospitals in BARMM.

The NTF met with the Bangsamoro Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on COVID-19 to assess the region's challenges and strategies against the disease.

Despite low case numbers, Galvez urged the formation of more contact tracing teams and recommended a ratio of one tracer for every 30 contacts.

He also called for the establishment of additional testing laboratories in BARMM and emphasized the importance of increasing testing capabilities.