DAVAOEÑOS can avail of free medicines from each Botika ng Bayan in various health districts, the City Health Office (CHO) reiterated Thursday.
Gemma Pujanes, head of the CHO Pharmacy Section, said the distribution of free medicines aims to improve healthcare accessibility for those in need.
The city operates 14 registered BNBs located in the Malasakit Center, Calinan, City Health Office Main, Toril B, Bunawan, Paquibato, Marilog, Buhangin, Toril A, Sasa, Poblacion District Barangay 4-A, Poblacion District Barangay 32-D, Agdao, and El Rio Vista Village, Barangay 19-B.
Maintenance medicines, antibiotics, cough and cold remedies, painkillers, and fever medications are among the free medicines they can get.
To avail of maintenance medicines, one must present an updated medical prescription, which is three months from the issuance and seven days for antibiotics.
Aside from the updated prescription, the ID of the patient or the ID of the authorized family member is required.
Maintenance medicines will be provided to patients for one month or 30 tablets, while for antibiotics, it depends on the course of the treatment, whether seven days or ten days.
The Botika ng Bayan is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Pujanes said they are partnering with the Philhealth Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) to sustain the dispensing of medicines.
“Our Botika ng Bayan has the potential to receive reimbursements from Philhealth as these are licensed pharmacies,” she said.
With the YAKAP, the BNBs will apply for accreditation as a GAMOT Facility to provide the contents of the outpatient drug benefit package.
“We will have an augmentation as we are going to receive reimbursement from Philhealth, which later on we can use to purchase medicines,” Pujanes added.
Last year, 1,055,251 patients in the city received free medicines from the Botika ng Bayan. As of Sept. 1, the government has already served 555,898 clients.
Photo courtesy of City Government of Davao
