MOA pushed on procurement of medicines for city’s elderly

The city council, June 2, adopted resolution no. 326, series of 2023, authorizing Mayor Benjamin Magalong, representing the city government of Baguio to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the different barangays in the Summer Capital for the procurement of maintenance medicines and other medicinal and wellness needs of senior citizens.

Authored by councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda, the measure states that RA 11223 or the ‘Universal Health Care (UHC) Act’ mandates the institutionalization of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) as a fair and transparent mechanism to progressively realize UHC in the country through a systematic approach and clear delineation of roles of key agencies and stakeholders towards better performance in the health system.

The Act provides that the Department of Health (DOH), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), PhilHealth and local government units (LGUs) shall endeavor to integrate health systems into province-wide and city-wide health systems.

The DOH has issued administrative order no. 2021-0040 on the Implementing Guidelines on the Establishment of Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee (PTC) at the provincial and city levels in accordance with the Generics Act of 1988.

For his part, the Mayor issued executive order no. 161, series of 2021, creating the PTC in Baguio city whose functions include acting as an advisory and recommending body to the Local Health Board (LHB) on all issues, policies and guidelines concerning the selection, distribution and use of medicines.

City council resolution no. 490, series of 2022, has urged the city’s barangays for their commitment to provide funds for the purchase of maintenance medicines and other medical and wellness needs of senior citizens.

Meanwhile, city ordinance no. 10, series of 2023, has provided free maintenance medicines to indigent residents of the city and appropriated funds thereof.

“There is a need to forge a formal agreement with the barangays for the execution of the rights, obligations and commitments of the parties, subject to compliance with the generally accepted auditing and accounting rules and regulations and for sound management and fiscal administration,” the resolution stressed. – Gaby B. Keith