The city government of Makati announced on Saturday that it has allocated P5.26 billion for its local health programs this year.
Mayor Abigail BInay said programs and services on public health got the biggest chunk from the P18.04-billion total executive budget for 2020.
She added that the budget for the city’s Drug Subsidy Program (Libreng Gamot Para sa Mamamayan) has been increased by P75 million, from P1.2 billion in 2019 to P1.27 billion.
“We have decided to increase the budget for the free medicines to meet the growing demand for maintenance medicines and vitamin supplements of Yellow Card members and their dependents,” the city chief executive said.
Binay said the city has also increased the budgetary allocations for other programs aimed at improving the quality of health care and medical services being provided to residents.
“We will continue to upgrade our medical equipment and services while intensifying our preventive health care program. Our aim is to promote wellness from the early stages of life to ensure that the next generation of leaders will be healthy and fit for their important role,” she added.
Records from the Makati Health Department showed that in 2019, a total of 680,831 beneficiaries have availed of free medicines, vitamins, antibiotics, and other pharmaceutical products through the city’s drug subsidy program.
Of the P5.26-billion budget of the Health sector, 42.02 percent or P2.21 billion has been allocated to the Patients Care Program and other related projects of the city-run Ospital ng Makati (OsMak) in District 2.
Under the MHD, P104.94 million has been allotted to the Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Program, which covers tuberculosis, dengue, and HIV/AIDS prevention. The figure is higher by P780,240 than last year.
To promote maternal and newborn health, the city has increased the budget by 165.5 percent to P12.03 million for its Maternal and Child Care Program, which covers the regular prenatal checkups of pregnant women and the provision of Baby Makatizen kits for newborns. The said budget includes Natal Care (P4.46 million), Human Milk Bank (P2.56 million), Comprehensive Nutrition Program (P3.37 million), and Adolescent Health and Development Program (P1.62 million).
For its Comprehensive Dental Health Program under MHD, the city has allotted P10.41 million to cover free teeth cleaning, fluoride application, dentures, and preventive and curative dental treatment for all ages.
Meanwhile, major programs of the Makati Veterinary Services Department for Animal Health and related public health initiatives such as pet vaccination and microchipping also have a combined total of P12.10 million.
“Due to our efforts in improving the overall health system in Makati, the city was awarded by the Department of Health last year for being one of the best performing local government units in Metro Manila,” said Mayor Binay.
At present, Makati’s immunization rate stands at 85 percent, up from 65 percent in 2018, and the city has remained rabies-free since 2017.
Last year, the city posted the highest oral polio vaccine (OPV) coverage rate in Metro Manila from October 14 to October 27 and from November 25 to December 28.
Binay said the city continuously rations nutritious meals to underweight children for rehabilitation and motor development.
To improve medical services at OsMak, the city has also purchased 116 new medical equipment for the hospital, including 63 patient monitors, 10 infusion pumps, seven anesthesia machines, six transport beds, two electrocardiograph machines, three ophthalmology equipment, a blood bank refrigerator, a CT scanner, and a 4K laparoscopy tower that provides visualization and documentation of endoscopy procedures.
Binay said the city plans to build a cancer institute at OsMak in District 1, which is expected to be completed in 2022.
She also said in her State of the City Address last January 7 that she plans to digitize the medical records and prescriptions of patients through an e-health system, which automatically transmits their data in all of the city’s barangay health centers.