NEWS
Army receives BCDA-donated medical equipment for continued, safe dental services amid pandemic
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The 1301st Dental Dispensary under the Philippine Army’s Headquarters and Headquarters Support Group (HHSG) received from the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) air-driven dental instruments that will aid the Army in providing dental services safely for troops amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The equipment will help ensure the well-being of Army health workers, military troops and their dependents, and civilian personnel, while preventing COVID-19 infection during the conduct of dental services. Included in the donated items were air filter machines, dental aerosol vacuum machines, dental aerosol isolation boxes, and disinfectants, such as UV lamps and misting machines. The HHSG, led by their commander, Colonel Rosalio G. Pompa, expressed their gratitude to the BCDA. “We are fortunate to have proactive partners in government, such as the BCDA, who continuously support and recognize our service through their corporate social
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responsibility program,” Col. Pompa said. “The dental equipment will boost our operations and help us maintain a safe and COVID-free environment, both for our personnel and patients.” The HHSG’s dental procedures and surgical operations require air-driven instruments that generate aerosols. Having air purifiers and disinfectants during the said procedures will help prevent cross infection from such aerosols, thereby avoiding the spread of the coronavirus among dental health workers and their patients. The equipment facilitates the HHSG’s strict compliance with safety protocols and guidelines set by the Philippine Dental Association (PDA) and the Department of Health (DOH). The HHSG had also received dental equipment for use in prosthodontics and endodontic services, which help in modernizing healthcare facilities, and in supporting the operational readiness of our troops.
