'Doc Mac' pushes for low-cost quality drugs to Ilonggos
An Ordinance is in the works aimed at increasing patients' access to low-cost quality drugs. Designed to support the Department of Health's (DOH) "P100 project," the plan ensures access to drugs which are packaged within an "affordability parameter of P100."
Sponsored by First District Board Member Macario "Doc Mac" Napulan, a draft is set to be presented in today's regular session. Also taken into consideration by this Ordinance is "rational drug use, economies of scale in procurement and a unified pricing scheme" for said low-cost quality drugs.
Further still was government intervention aimed at improving pharmaceutical access to all Filipinos especially for low-income families.
The Ordinance if passed, will authorize the Provincial Health Office – Hospital Operations and Management Service and Drug Management Service – Iloilo Capitol Pharmacy to retain its income from the P1 million worth of medicines. Said offices are tasked to implement Drug Management Reforms for the provincial and eleven district hospitals of Iloilo.
As among the project's recipients nationwide, the Iloilo Provincial Government through Board Member Napulan backs the plan.
To note, the Local Government Code mandates local government units to implement various health programs, projects and initiatives to ensure that the people in the province of Iloilo will be provided with basic health services.
The Ordinance likewise states that sales of P100 drug packages shall be recorded under a Special Account with separate set of books and depository accounts of the Iloilo Provincial Government.