MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) is seeking to procure about 1,500 ventilators for use by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients all over the country.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Wednesday said the procurement service (PS) of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has already started the procurement process.

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A ventilator is a machine that provides mechanical ventilation by moving breathable air into and out of the lungs.

“Mayroon tayong inaayos with PS-DBM na gusto natin makabili ng marami. Ito ay nakaayos na, we are undergoing this process na pina-facilitate na natin,” she said in an interview over dzMM.

(We are now coordinating with PS-DBM. We want to buy many ventilators. We are now undergoing this process to facilitate this.)

Vergeire assured that the procurement of ventilators will still undergo public bidding. The government is currently looking for suppliers that can deliver about 1,500 ventilators.

“Tinitingnan natin kung mayroon tayong makukuhang supply. Through public bidding pa rin naman pero sana mayroon nga po with this kind of amount or volume,” Vergeire added.

(We are looking if we can get the supply. This will still undergo public bidding but we hope that would could be supplied with this kind of amount or volume.)

At present, a total of 1,263 ventilators is scattered across the country, 153 of which are in Metro Manila.

Vergeire earlier said that the current number of ventilators is enough for COVID-19 patients even as cases of the infectious respiratory illness in the country continue to rise.

READ: DOH: Supply of ventilators for use of COVID-19 patients enough for now

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To date, the Philippines has recorded 2,084 cases of COVID-19 with 88 deaths and 49 recoveries.

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What you need to know about Coronavirus.

For more information on COVID-19, call the DOH Hotline: (02) 86517800 local 1149/1150.

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