Tomas: Free medicines for Cebu City residents

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City mayor-elect Tomas Osmeña has announced that once he assumes office, he will work it out that city residents in need of maintenance medicines will get them from the City Hall free of charge.

"Ang tanang mga maintenance medicines mahimong libre na, house to house everyday. Bisan unsay inyong kinahanglan nga maintenance, apil na ang insulin, we will take care of that because kinahanglan g'yud nga makita sa mga tawo nga moabot ang serbisyo sa gobyerno kanila," he said.

He said that once he assumes office on June 30, he will have the matter carefully studied by his men who will then draft the procedures on how to avail it.

There are over 67,000 registered senior citizens in the city, most of whom have maintenance medicines and drugs, particularly those suffering from hypertension or diabetes.

Under a program of the Department of Health, persons with hypertension and diabetes can avail of free maintenance medicine by signing up for the DOH Hypertension and Diabetes Club at the nearest DOH health center.

At the health centers, the health personnel will just require the applicants to submit proofs that they need the specific drugs by submitting prescriptions issued by the doctors.

All applicants for free maintenance drugs will be interviewed by the health personnel and will be informed about the unhealthy habits and unhealthy diet that will cause diseases and worst death.

Senior citizens who learned about Osmeña's announcement were glad and even admired the incoming mayor for it. — (FREEMAN)