Dr. Amirel Usman in a video address he made as OIC of the BARMM Ministry of Health on Jan. 20, 2021, a day ahead of Bangsamoro Foundation Day. (Photo from a video posted on the Facebook account of the Bangsamoro Government)
COTABATO CITY, Maguindanao, Philippines — Dr. Amirel Usman, the director-general of the Ministry of Health of. the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), died on Saturday at the Cotabato City Regional Hospital here.
Usman, who was the acting chief of the Iranun District Hospital in Parang, Maguindanao, died of “diabetes complications,” Health Minister Zul Qarneyn Abas told the Inquirer.
Usman was 44 years old.
BARMM Senior Minister Abdulraof Macacua recalled Usman to have served as MOH officer-in-charge at the height of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
“He performed more than what the Bangsamoro expected from him,” Macacua said.
“We will forever be grateful for Dr. Usman’s courage to take on the challenge of leading the Bangsamoro government’s fight against COVID-19 as officer-in-charge of the MOH,” Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim said in a statement.
“His leadership had helped the region sustain a low (COVID-19) transmission and had ensured that communities across the Barmm were vaccinated,” Ebrahim said. “His peers and those around him will remember Dr. Usman for his passion for public health and for serving those in need. Whether it’s serving a local hospital or going around underprivileged towns or working in the MOH, dedication to health care has always been his biggest priority.”
“The City Government of Cotabato joins the Bangsamoro Region in mourning the passing of MOH director-general Dr. Amirel Usman,” said Cotabato City Mayor Mohamad Ali “Bruce” Matabalao. “His dedication to duty was an inspiration as well as his legacy of unwavering service to the Bangsamoro. Our thoughts are with the Usman family at this time.”
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