DAGUPAN CITY -- The license to operate and other documents are being readied by the City Health Office (CHO) after the Sangguniang Panlungsod here recently approved an ordinance seeking the establishment of a Health Office Pharmacy here.
Councilor Dennis Canto, chairman of the committee on public health and sanitation of the city council and principal author of the ordinance, said the city health pharmacy will be the first in Ilocos region.
“The pharmacy will contain sufficient stock of medicines. This will be a big help for our fellow Dagupeños, especially for senior citizens who typically need maintenance drugs for diabetes, high blood pressure, and even for children and pregnant women who need medicine,” Canto said in an interview Thursday.
He said the dispension of drugs would be consistent once the client has been verified as a resident of Dagupan City.
“Clients could secure a barangay certificate for verification, and they will immediately be issued medicine,” Canto said.
He clarified that the soon-to-be-built city health pharmacy accepts all needy Dagupeños and the less fortunate ones would be prioritized.
“The usual clients of the CHO are the less-fortunate Dagupeños, so with the CHO Pharmacy, the service would also be extended to them as a priority”, he added. “Some of our fellow Dagupeños do not undergo check-up because they worry about their fees. With this health card, we expect them to finally be able to take care of their health,” Canto explained.
Meanwhile, another ordinance seeking the issuance of city health cards has also been approved.
Canto said this would help less fortunate Dagupeños in their maintenance and regular health check-up.
“With the city health card, Dagupeños would enjoy free laboratory check up in the city’s diagnostic center,” he said.
The city health card is different from the Philhealth card, he added.
As of writing, the city council is coordinating with the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) and the CHO to determine the card’s beneficiaries.
“As of now, we prioritize less fortunate Dagupeños, but we are planning things out to make the health card available to more residents of the city, including employees, market vendors, and even barangay tanods (watchmen),” Canto said. (PNA)
