Health care in Benguet gets another big boost as funds for medical assistance will be downloaded from the Department of Health (DOH) to replenish the already depleted medical fund.
Benguet General Hospital (BeGH) is set to receive ₱ 100 million for medical assistance while the five district hospitals in the province will be getting ₱ 5 million each as part of Cong. Eric Go Yap’s advocacy on free hospitalization.
Yap said he is currently working out the downloading of the funds to BeGH and the five district hospitals namely Atok District Hospital, Kapangan District Hospital, Northern Benguet District Hospital, Itogon District Hospital and the Dennis Molintas Memorial Hospital.
As early as December, the solon has been working double time for the release of these funds to the province hoping to reach more indigent patients needing health care.
“We have more than sufficient allocation para sa healthcare and medical assistance program natin. Nagpa-download tayo ng ₱ 100 million na pondo natin galing sa DOH para sa BeGH and ₱ 5 million each naman sa mga district hospitals to make sure na walang dapat bayaran ang mga pasyente natin,” Yap said.
Yap added the medical assistance fund will help ease the burden of patients in paying their hospitals bills and cope with the current pandemic.
“Nasa pandemic pa tayo and maraming nawalan o humina talaga ang income. Imagine having to pay for your medicines or hospital bills tapos problema pa yung pagkain sa bahay. Kaya we are making sure na hindi mawawalan ng pondo ang hospital pagdating sa medical assistance para makabawas sa problema ng mga may sakit,” added Yap.
Yap, who chairs the Appropriations Committee in Congress, added aside from Benguet, other health care facilities in the country will also receive funding for medical assistance.