BUTUAN CITY – Due to the rising prices of medicines, the Department of Health (DoH) in the Caraga Region intensifies the campaign on the availability of cheaper medicines by opening up more Botika ng Barangay (BnB) outlets in various villages in the region.

Dr. Leonita P. Gorgolon, DoH Caraga regional director, ordered regional technical staff to assist provincial health offices in identifying areas in the provinces and municipalities for additional BnB outlets.

DoH Caraga aims to establish at least one BnB outlet in two neighboring villages before the end of 2010.

As of this date, DoH Caraga already has 439 BnBs in the region. This includes 68 BnBs in Agusan del Norte, 132 in Agusan del Sur, 128 in Surigao del Norte, 35 in Dinagat and 76 in Surigao del Sur, said region’s health officer Sunshine A. Alipayo.

Some 10 villages in the region received Best BnB Awards during the 1st BNB Convention and Regional Awarding here last week.

The awardees include Barangay San Juan and Bonifacio of Surigao City; Barangay Camagong and Culit of Nasipit, Agusan del Norte; Barangay Doña Telesfora of Tubay, Agusan del Norte; Barangay Sta. Irene and San Jose of Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur; Barangay Panamaon of Loreto, Dinagat Province; Barangay Tubo-Tubo of Cagwait, Surigao del Sur; and Barangay Oteiza of San Agustin, Surigao del Sur.

The award aims to encourage BnB operators by recognizing and providing incentives to the best performing Botika ng Barangay outlets nationwide. These BnBs were recipient of the P25,000 drug and medicines from the DoH.

The BnB aims to provide safe, effective, available, accessible, affordable and quality medicines to the majority of the people especially the poor.

BnB is a collaboration of the Department of Health (DoH), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC).