Launching and Opening of 9th HPSIS Outlet at Upper Valley Community Hospital in Surallah, South Cotabato

Mahintana Foundation, Inc. in partnership with the Local Government of Surallah, South Cotabato has inaugurated the 9^th Health Plus Shop in a Shop (HPSiS) outlet on March 14, 2017 located in the Upper Valley Community Hospital (UVCH), a government supported hospital under the supervision of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO). The HPSIS outlet, located inside the hospital facility, aims to provide safe and affordable essential generic pharmaceutical and medicinal supplies to poor and indigent patients. Present during the program and formal opening were Vice Mayor Hon. Pinky Divinagracia; Dr. Barbara Libatique, representing DOH-12; Hon. Dardanillo Dar, SP member; Dr. Rogelio Aturdido, PHO of South Cotabato; Hon. Ellen Grace Subere-Albios, SP Chairperson on Health; Dr. Ana Marie Tuburan, UVCH Chief of Hospital; and Ms. Liza D. Hora, representing Mahintana Foundation, Inc. Other guests from 3 government hospitals namely, Norala District Hospital, Polomolok Municipal Hospital and South Cotabato Provincial Hospital, also witnessed the meaningful event.

Vice Mayor Hon. Pinky Divinagracia expressed her gratefulness that the pharmacy was established as part of the local government’s continuing comprehensive health care delivery program of increasing availability and accessibility of affordable quality drugs to public facilities.

As a 2015 Galing Pook Awardee recognized as one of the most outstanding and innovative local governance programs in the Philippines, the Health Plus Program continues to explore the possibility of expanding to other government run hospitals in Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato provinces to also help reduce the out-of-pocket expenses, as getting sick these days is quite expensive and the burden of paying off healthcare costs and buying medicines can bring a lot of financial problems especially to the poor and marginalized communities .

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