[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’ Soon: Help desks for poor in gov’t hospitals ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=’18’ font_color=” color=”]
ILOILO City – Soon, each government hospital in Iloilo would have one-stop shop help desks where the poor could seek assistance.
This “Malasakit Desk” scheme would be initially introduced in Cebu and Bohol then expanded to Iloilo and other areas in the Visayas, said President Assistant Michael Lloyd Dino who was here yesterday.
An inter-agency initiative, the “Malasakit Desk” would have personnel from the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Health Insurance Corp., and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
The desk will help simplify the process of getting assistance from government, said Dino.
“Binabantayan kasi natin ‘yung mga poorest of the poor. ‘Yun ang gusto nating alagan for now,” he stressed.
Dino expressed hope that the “Malasakit Desk” program could kick off by December this year.
“At Malasakit desks, pasok lang. Then they will guide you. May health officer na will assess you,” he said.
Patients and their families would be assisted in the processing of needed documents and financial aid necessary for immediate admission, continuing care, or for discharge.
Today, Dino will be meeting Iloilo’s Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. and other local chief executives and discuss further the “Malasakit Desk” scheme and other concerns.
“I don’t want to talk too much. I want to listen,” said Dino.
The provincial government of Iloilo oversees the operation of 12 district hospitals that cater mostly to poor patients. These are the following:
- Aleosan District Hospital in Barangay Bancal, Alimodian
-
Barotac Viejo District Hospital in Barangay San Lucas, Barotac Viejo
-
Dr. Ricardo S. Provido Memorial District Hospital in Barangay Dalid, Calinog
-
Don Valerio Palmares Sr. Memorial District Hospital on Alfelor Street, Passi City
-
Dr. Ricardo Y. Ladrido Memorial District Hospital in Barangay Poblacion, Ilawod, Lambunao
-
Ramon D. Duremdes District Hospital in Barangay Ilaya 1st, Dumangas
-
Federico Roman Tirador Sr. Memorial District Hospital in Barangay Jibolo, Janiuay
-
Iloilo Provincial Hospital in Barangay Rumbang, Pototan
-
Jesus M. Colmenares Memorial District Hospital in Barangay Tingui-an, Balasan
-
Ramon Tabiana Memorial District Hospital in Barangay Pungtod, Cabatuan
-
Rep. Pedro G. Trono Memorial District Hospital on Garriel Street, Guimbal
-
Sara District Hospital in Barangay Anoring, Sara.
The “Malasakit Desk” scheme is seen to further enhance the Duterte administration’s pro-poor public health thrust. Early this year, it introduced the Libreng Gamot sa Masa (LinGap sa Masa) program.
In Western Visayas, this is being implemented by the Social Welfare department in partnership with the Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) in Mandurrriao, Iloilo City.
Qualified as beneficiaries are families or individuals who are poor, vulnerable or disadvantaged; those who are in crisis situations based on the assessment of social workers; those in the formal sector and poor based on the Listahanan of the department; government employees and contract of service workers and soldiers and police who were wounded in the line of duty.
Patients have to submit a doctor’s prescription, certificate of indigency and valid identification card.
Eligible patients will be issued a DSWD LinGap sa Masa Guarantee Letter (GL) indicating the needed amount of medicines. It will be presented to the pharmacy of the hospital to get free medicines.
To expand the program further, the Social Welfare department recently tied up with three more hospitals – Dr. Rafael S. Tumbokon Memorial Hospital in Kalibo, Aklan; Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital in Roxas City, Capiz; and Angel Salazar Memorial General Hospital in San Jose de Buenavista, Antique./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
