By JACK C. GADAINGAN
TACLOBAN CITY – "Funding for the continuous operation of the Inter Community Operation Tambulig (ICOT) Caravan medical missions is sustainable because they are derived from the income of the province-run hospitals," according to Leyte Gov. Carlos Jericho L. Petilla during the recent medical mission in Barangay Salvador, Tanauan, Leyte.
"The people who can afford to pay for the private rooms at our provincial and district hospitals are underwriting the integrated medical, social and economic services of the ICOT Caravan," Petilla said.
He pointed out that since new regulations were imposed on provincial-run hospitals, they have managed to sustain their operations and even earn income being used to provide free medicines distributed during the ICOT Caravan.
The provincial government distributed at least P300,000 worth of free medicines to indigent patients in each municipality or barangay visited by medical caravan.
"In our hospitals, we ask those who can really afford to pay for their hospital bills. And from their payments, we buy medicines and bring our doctors to the barangays so that our poor residents can avail of the service and medicines for free," Petilla said.
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