LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The health department will be downloading to the Benguet General Hospital (BeGH) and the five district hospitals in the province a total of P125 million for medical assistance to indigent patients to enhance the delivery of health care services in the province.
Benguet caretaker and Anti-Crime and Terrorism through Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) Party-list Rep. Eric Yap disclosed that 100 million will be going to the BeGH while each of the district hospitals will be getting P5 million to help in sustaining the provision of medical assistance to indigent patients which is one of the major programs of the legislative caretaker.
Yap, who chairs the powerful House committee on appropriations, is currently working with the health department for the downloading of these funds to BeGH and the 5 district hospitals, Atok District Hospital, Kapangan District Hospital, Northern Benguet District Hospital, Itogon District Hospital and the Dennis Molintas Memorial Hospital, as part of his free hospitalization advocacy.
As early as December last year, the lawmaker has been working for the timely release and downloading of the funds to the province for medical assistance to indigent patients needing quality health care from the BeGH and the 5 district hospitals.
“We have more than sufficient allocation para sa health care and medical assistance program natin. Nagpa-down load tayo ng P100 million na pondo natin galling sa DOH para sa BeGH and P5 million each naman sa mga district hospitals to make sure na walang dapat bayaran ang mga pasiente natin,” Yap stressed.
According to him, the P100 million for BeGH and the P5 million for each of the 5 district hospitals will replenish the already depleted medical assistance to indigent patients which is being implemented by the health department.
He pointed out that the existing medical assistance fund will help in easing the burden of patients in paying their hospital bills and cope with the serious negative impact of the ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
“Nasa pandemic situation pa tayo and maraming nawalan o humina talaga ang income ng mga tao. Imagine having to pay for our medicines or hospital bills tapos problema pa yung pagkain sa bahay. Kaya we are making sure na hindi mawawalan ng pondo ang hospital pagdating as medical assistance para makabawas sa problema ng mga may sakit,” he added.
Aside from Benguet, the caretaker congressman disclosed that other health care facilities in the country will also receive funding for their respective medical assistance programs.
“For the information of everyone, hindi lang sa BeGH and sa mga district hospitals ng Benguet tayong may ponding inilaan. Meron din sa mga DOH-supported hospitals kagaya ng Baguio General Hospital at mga specialty hospitals gaya ng Philippine Heart Center, National Kidney and transplant Institute, at marami pang iba. All they have to do is get in touch with our office and we will facilitate the payment of their bills,” Yap said.
