By LITO RULONA Correspondent THE Department of Health (DOH) has set aside P25 million to shoulder the hospitalization costs of people who were hurt or who fell ill as a result of the Marawi crisis. Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Ubial told a news conference here on Friday that the DOH has tapped 10 hospitals in Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental where people from Marawi can be admitted. The DOH, she said, forged agreements with the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC), Camp Edilberto Evangelista Hospital, the citty hall-owned JR Borja Memorial General Hospital, Sabal hospital, the Polymedic hospitals, Maria Reyna hospital, Madonna and Child, Capitol University Medical Center, and the Cagayan de Oro Medical Hospital. She said the capitolun hospitals in Alubijid, Naawan and Initao in Misamis Oriental were also tapped. Ubial said health department set aside as much as P2 million for each hospital so that they could treat patients from Marawi City. The funds, according to Ubial, would enable the hospitals to buy supplies in treating patients, including wounded soldiers. She noted that coughs and colds, acute gastroenteritis, hypertension, skin diseases and fever were the common complaints of evacuees from Marawi. The DOH’s Regional Incident Command Center said there were 28,011 families affected by the Marawi crisis or 140,155 individuals from 96 barangays in Marawi and Lanao del Sur crisis. The DOH also recorded 19 deaths and 125 hospital confinements since May 23 in various hospitals in Marawi and Iligan cities alone. Ubial said that aside from the medical expenses, financial aid and food packs, the government is also focused on restoring health services in Marawi City, and improving it in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro. She said, “DOH is fully supportive of all local initiatives and will provide necessary logistics to ensure that our people are provided with health services even in times of conflict.” Ubial said nearly P1 million worth of medical commodities were being distributed by the DOH regional office and P1.4 million worth of medical supplies would be arriving soon. These include medicines, water and hygiene kits containing disinfecting solutions. DOH, she said, would also provide vaccinations, and it works to restore services at the Amai Pakpak Hospital in Marawi City.