New PNP Health Service director named
A MEMBER of Philippine Military Academy ‘Tanglaw-Diwa’ Class of 1992, Brigadier General Antonino R. Cirujales yesterday took over as the new director of the Philippine National Police Health Service which is in the forefront of the PNP’s effort keep its personnel safe and secure from the deadly COVID-19 virus.
Cirujales was designated by PNP chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar to replace Brig. Gen. Luisito P. Magnaye, a member of PMA ‘Bigkis Lahi’ Class of 1991 who became the PNP-HS director last January 28 until his retirement at the age of 56 yesterday.
The erstwhile Deputy Director of the PNP Directorate for Human Resource and Doctrine Development, Cirujales will be leading the PNP-HS whose men and women are acting as the PNP’s main ‘front-liners’ in addressing and preventing the further spread of COVID-19 in the force while helping in the government’s massive vaccination program.
Gen. Eleazar earlier ordered an inventory of their current stock of medicines and other supplies needed by their personnel as they continue to post an increasing number of COVID-19 fatalities and virus transmissions.
The top cop said being among the government ‘front-liners’ in its effort to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 and its more deadly variants, he is very much concerned with the continuing increase in the COVID-19 infections among police personnel as well as with their death toll which is currently at 106.
“Inatasan ko na ang PNP-ASCOTF, sa pamumuno ni Police Lt. Gen. Joselito Vera Cruz, na magsagawa ng imbentaryo ng mga gamot at iba pang mga kagamitan para sa medical needs at proteksyon ng mga kapulisan,” he said.
“Mahigit isang daan na ang namatay sa aming hanay kaya mas mainam na ang PNP ay laging handa sa mga worse-case scenarios sa gitna ng laban sa COVID dahil isa ang mga pulis na nasa frontline ng paglaban sa pagkalat ng nakakamatay na virus na ito,” he added.
Gen. Eleazar reminded police unit heads and commanders to strictly implement the minimum public health safety in their respective offices and stations to prevent the transmission of the coronavirus.
He said PNP personnel should be more careful even though most of the personnel have already been vaccinated against COVID-19.
So far, the police force recorded a total of 35,131 COVID-19 cases, wherein 32,985 have already recovered from the disease and are now back to full duty status.
More than 2,000 are ‘active cases,’ according to the PNP-HS which has also recorded 108 COVID-19 deaths since March last year to date.
