Some village chiefs question distribution of free medicines
Some barangay captains in Cebu City were complaining that the free medicines provided by the Department of Health (DOH) were being distributed by “untrained” city hall workers instead of through the barangays which have their own barangay health workers (BHWs).
In a consultative meeting with the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) together with the DOH, Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) last Thursday, some barangay captains raised the issue.
It was found out that the people distributing the free medicines for hypertension and diabetes provided by the DOH were from the Barangay Mayor’s Office (BMO).
“There were reports from barangay captains that they (BMO personnel) were giving the medicines even if the people were not checked by health professionals. There were some that (sic) were given bigger dosage than what was supposed to be taken,” said ABC president and Tisa Barangay Captain Philip Zafra.
He said that during the meeting, Cambinocot Barangay Captain Rey Lauron said in his barangay, a resident was rushed to the hospital after his hypertension worsened when he was reportedly given a bigger dosage of medicine.
In his personal Facebook account, Apas Barangay Captain Ramil Ayuman posted a video of their dialogue where he pointed out that DOH Assistant Regional Director Sophia Mancao admitted that there’s a violation when medicines were distributed to people with no doctor’s prescription especially for those with hypertension and diabetes.
In the same post, Ayuman said that the DOH assured the barangay captains that next time, the medicines will be given directly to the barangay health centers and not through the BMOs established by Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
“We just hope that the DOH sticks to their word and won’t get scared by (mayor) Tomas ( Osmeña),” Ayuman said in an interview.
He said that the BMOs were created by the mayor so that he can have a free hand in barangays where the captains are not his allies.
According to Zafra, they were told by Mancao that the DOH has already handed out some free medicines for hypertension to Cebu City Hall through the City Health Department (CHD).
“The DOH said they will discuss this with city hall,” said Zafra adding that the DOH also encouraged the barangays to work directly with the DOH.
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