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[av_heading heading=’ Over 2,000 patients in WV get free medicines’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Sunday, June 11, 2017
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ILOILO City – More than 2,000 patients in Western Visayas have been given free medicines under the government’s Libreng Gamot Para (Lingap) sa Masa program as of June 2.
Of the P138-million fund allotted for Region 6, P8.1 million has been spent, Information Officer May Grecia-Rago of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) regional office told the press.
Around P129 million remain of the funding. Everyone in need of medicines and qualified to avail themselves of the program may approach the DSWD, Rago said.
The DSWD has been implementing the Lingap sa Masa in partnership with the Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) in Mandurriao district since March.
Some P6.7 million was spent for 2,180 patients under the Family Head and Other Needy Adults category, while 255 Senior Citizens got free medicines amounting to P1.1 million, the DSWD official said.
Twenty-two Women in Especially Difficult Circumstances got P123,788 worth of free medicines, while 19 Persons with Disabilities availed themselves of P162,464 worth of free medicines.
No beneficiaries yet were classified under Children in Need of Special Protection and Youth in Need of Special Protection.
Western Visayas was one of the five regions chosen as pilot areas. Funding for the program (P2 billion) came from the Presidential Social Fund.
The program may cover up to P75,000 worth of prescription medicines a hospitalized patient needs, on top of what they may avail themselves of from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., or PhilHealth, said Rago.
While those receiving outpatient treatment in identified government hospitals are qualified, too, priority is given to:
* families or individuals who are indigent, vulnerable or disadvantaged
* those in the informal sector and poor based on the DSWD Listahanan
* those who are in crisis situations based on the assessment of social workers
* government employees and contract of service workers in government
* beneficiaries of soldiers and police who were killed or wounded in the line of duty
At the WVMC, the patient or their representative shall present the doctor’s prescription to the hospital pharmacy, which in turn shall issue a price quotation.
The patient or their representative shall present the quotation and other requirements to the DSWD social worker assigned at the WVMC (at the Lingap sa Masa desk, right next to the hospital pharmacy).
The DSWD social worker shall assess the case. If eligible, a DSWD Lingap sa Masa Guarantee Letter, which reflects the amount of the needed medicines, will be issued to the patient, who may then get the medicines at the hospital pharmacy for free.
Inpatients are required to submit the doctor’s prescription, certificate of indigency and valid identification card. Those living in far areas may get their certificate of indigency from the hospital’s Social Service Office and need not go to their barangays.
Similar requirements apply to WVMC outpatients./PN
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