The four city-owned hospitals in Manila – the Ospital ng Maynila, the Gat Andres Bonifacio Medical Center, the Ospital ng Tondo, and the Ospital ng Sampaloc – have adequate supply of medicines.
This was the clarification made by Dr. Lorraine Sanchez, assistant director of the Manila Health Department, in reaction to the claim of Vice Mayor Danilo Lacuna that although the said medical institutions have good facilities, they lack medicines, adding that Lacuna seems to be misinformed.
Sanchez added that the 44 health centers in the city, not 33 as earlier claimed by Lacuna, have sufficient supplies of medicines and adequate number of health workers to patients with minor ailments.
"In fact, aside from having enough medicines and competent health workers, thirty-nine out of the forty-four health centers in Manila are virtually brand new as they were renovated under the health component of Mayor Atienza’s Buhayin ang Maynila program,’’ Sanchez pointed out.
She added that reforms have been introduced in the process for the procurement of drugs and medicines for the four city-owned hospitals and the 44 health centers to eliminate unscrupulous practices such as overpricing and pilferage.
"The medicines that are dispensed for free in our hospitals and health centers are bought at very low prices because of the reforms that were put in place. We also ensure that there is always a buffer stock of medicines in our health facilities,’’ Sanchez explained.
The directors of the four city-owned hospitals - Dr. Christia Padolina of the Ospital ng Maynila, Dr. Ma Luisa Aquino of the Gat Andres Bonifacio Medical Center, Dr. Remedios Timbol of the Ospital ng Tondo, and Dr. Angel Sison of the Ospital ng Sampaloc - have also stated in their report to city hall that their respective hospitals have adequate supplies of medicines. They also detailed in their reports the programs to improve the services in the said hospitals.
Over and above the free health services and medicines provided to the city’s constituents, the city government has been working with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and Philhealth since the year 2000 to provide Family Health Cards to poor Manileños as part of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s Plan 25 Million, which aims to provide free health insurance to 25 million Filipino families. At present, Family Health Cards have been issued to almost 30,000 poor families in Manila that would entitle each member to free hospitalization and other health services in any Philhealth-accredited hospital, whether public or private. (RSV)
