The formal opening of the Health Plus Shop-in-a-Shop pharmacy in Kiamba District Hospital , last December 20,2013 was part of a dream come true for the people of Kiamba, Sarangani Province. The presence of stakeholders both from Mahintana Foundation, the Provincial Government of Sarangani and Municipal Government of Kiamba and the hospital administration during the ribbon cutting ceremony and formal opening would prove the combined efforts of the stakeholders and partners in ensuring the constituents’ access to universal health care.
Dr. Aileen Brion, KDH Chief of Hospital said that KDH has been operating for 30 years and the hospital administration and the community is happy that improvements are now felt and seen as evidenced by the opening of the pharmacy and the on-going physical improvements of the hospital building. She also stressed the timeliness of the pharmacy opening in compliance with issuances and memoranda of the PHIC on reducing out-of-pocket expense and no-balance-billing for PHIC members especially indigent patients.
Sarangani Provincial Health Office OIC Dr. Arvin Alejandro recognized the efforts of Dr. Antonio Yasaña – former Provincial Health Officer for his efforts in laying the foundation for the improvement of health services in Sarangani by sourcing out funds from international donors, national agencies and from the Provincial Government and for initializing the partnership with Mahintana for the establishment of the pharmacies in all province-run hospitals of Sarangani.
The establishment of the HPSiS in KDH will help lessen health gaps, increase the availability of medicines in the hospital and in the community , a problem commonly experienced in government run hospitals due to bidding and procurement delays, and hopefully , prove the success of the partnership for the pilot areas (Glan and Kiamba) and eventually open doors for other hospitals in the province, this is according to Board Member Elmer de Peralta.
Present during the opening ceremony were Provincial Board Member Elmer de Peralta MD, Prov. Legal Officer Atty. Chalmer Gevieso, Dr. Arvin Alejandro, Dr. Antonio Yasaña, MFI Executive Director Mr. Martiniano L. Magdolot , Franchise Manager Rey F. Gabilagon, Mahintana HP staff, KDH staff headed by Dr. Aileen Brion.