ILOILO CITY — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has already disbursed PHP30.6 million worth of free medicines to Western Visayas indigents under the “Libreng Gamot sa Masa (LinGap sa Masa)” program of President Rodrigo Duterte.
In a press conference on Thursday, DSWD-6 information officer May Castillo said the free medicines benefited 4,887 indigent patients in the region as of August 11.
Bulk of the fund or PHP21.9 million went to 3,859 indigent patients under the program’s family head and other needy adult (FHONA) client category.
A total of 904 indigent patients under the senior citizens client category availed of the free medicines with a total cost of PHP6.6 million; 102 patients under the Persons with Disability (PWD) client category with medicines amounting to PHP1.9 million and 22 women in especially difficult circumstances (WEDC) with PHP123,788 worth of medicines.
Western Visayas has PHP138 million fund for the LinGap program. It was implemented starting March this year in partnership with the Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) in Mandurrriao, Iloilo City.
Castillo said that the utilization of fund was moving fast when compared with previous months.
She said that the utilization would even be faster once the program coverage would be expanded to three more hospitals in the region to include 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.
Castillo said that they were still waiting for the guidelines from the DSWD central office for the expansion of the program.
If the fund will not be fully utilized by the end of December, the remaining money will still be used next year as it was sourced from the trust fund of the President, Castillo said.
Patients in the region, especially those admitted at the WVMC, are further encouraged to avail of the free medicines.
Requirements needed to be qualified include doctor’s prescription, certificate of indigency and valid identification card.
Eligible patients will be issued a DSWD LinGap sa Masa Guarantee Letter (GL), which includes the needed amount of patient for their medicines, to be presented to the pharmacy of the hospital. (PNA)
