Sarangani inks deal with NGO for cheaper meds

By BEVERLY C. PAOYON

ALABEL, Sarangani (December 2, 2013) – An agreement was signed Monday (December 2) between a non-government organization and the provincial government to ensure steady supply of safe and affordable medicines and other pharmaceutical products to all its hospitals.

Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon said the agreement he forged with Mahintana Foundation, Inc. is an answer to the government’s quest “to ease the means of living of the poor and the sick by ensuring low cost but quality medicines come in on time and are available.”

Thru the partnership, Sarangani accredited Mahinta to open a pharmacy within the premises of all its province-run hospitals adopting the Health Plus Program of the National Pharmaceutical Foundation, Inc.

The foundation will implement the retailing of Health Plus products to all in-patients and out-patients while the provincial government is entitled to provide management support and technical assistance.

Provincial Health Office OIC Dr. Arvin Alejandro explained Health Plus Program will be lodged within the existing pharmacies of the hospitals to provide those lacking medicines. This he pointed out would be a better scheme than what he lamented was the always delayed procurement and delivery of medicines for the hospitals.

Health Plus also will be implemented in keeping with the provincial government’s “commitment to public health and welfare and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.”

With the strengthening of Philhealth, Alejandro said all hospitals in the province should be able to provide all the logistics for the patients - the reason also why they tapped Mahintana.

Sarangani has five hospitals in all.

Alejandro said the license for Glan and Kiamba hospitals to operate will be released by February or March next year. Both are level one hospitals with an operative capacity.

Others (Maitum, Maasim and Malungon), he said, will remain to operate as infirmary. They will only admit patients since they have no operating theater.

Constituents could already start availing of the program starting before December 25 during its launching. (Beverly C. Paoyon/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)