By DANNY O. SAGUN

FROM now on, ambulances will only be used to transport patients to hospitals. This was the stern directive of Gov. Amado Espino to chiefs of government hospitals in Pangasinan whom he met recently.

Apparently, the governor was irked by the presence of those ubiquitous white-painted siren-laden vans at the Capitol ground that day he called the meeting. We used to also note that every time the provincial health office called for a meeting with the hospital chiefs, the Capitol ground particularly the front of the Kalantiao building where the PHO is housed, would be full of parked ambulances. The vehicle is also used by hospital personnel for transport when they submit reports to the health office.

It seems that no other government vehicles are issued to the hospitals except the ambulance so that the personnel particularly the chief himself are forced to use it for any other official trips.

Could that be the only reason? But whatever reasons they may have, using the vehicle for any purpose other than in an emergency situation is irregular.

That’s why there have been several complaints reaching media offices about the non-availability of the vehicle during emergencies because it was transporting the chief or his staff to their destinations. And there’s that practice of some drivers to activate the siren and the blinking lights even if there was no patient on board just to avoid traffic.

Can the governor do more than be strict to government personnel directly under his supervision? Perhaps he can include municipalities some of which own two to three ambulances. We do not know how he would do it, but there’s really a need to stop the wanton irregular use of such vehicles by the town executives themselves and their men.

Imagine a dying patient at the mercy of the mayor who could not be located in his office or in his residence. Yes, the mayor’s approval of the request to use the ambulance to transport a patient to a hospital must first be secured. Good if the vehicle is available at the time it is requested.

Perhaps the mayor’s secretary or administrator or the municipal health officer can decide on their own and approve the request. Too bad if the ambulance is being used for other purposes at the time.

Also worth looking into is the unsavory practice of asking the requesting party to shoulder the expense for fuel. That appears to be the case too in the use of police patrol vehicles as requested. We doubt if the municipalities concerned did not approve of any budget for fuel for such vehicles.

We recall what a policeman at the Bolosan police community precinct told our officemate Rolan when he secured a copy of the police blotter in my behalf when this writer met a vehicular accident sometime in October 2005. That fellow had the temerity to ask for something, as a way of replenishing the alleged meager office supplies they were receiving from their higher-ups.

Police transformation via a torch run? We hope we heard right General Pol Bataoil when he spoke glowingly about the program.
Espino’s order to his healthmen, on the other hand, about the proper use ambulance, will be put to the test.