Local chief executives asked to establish health desk at respective health units
TACLOBAN CITY — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Department of Health (DOH) have reiterated their call to local government chief executives to implement national orders addressing the needs of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
In a recent issuance, DILG called on all governors, city and municipal mayors to establish health desks in their respective local health units to attend to the health needs of the PWDs.
At the same time, DOH has repeated its call among LGUs to assist the PWDs in availing discounts on medicines and other health related services.
DILG memorandum circular 2009-180 stated that desks should me manned by rural health officers to take care of persons with disability without discrimination.
The circular emphasized the need for every municipality and city in the country to establish the desk in order to provide quality and affordable health care services to differently-abled persons.
Article 25 of the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities mandates signatories to this international covenant to provide quality and affordable health care services to differently-abled persons without discrimination with respect to disability.
Meanwhile, Administrative Order No. 2009-0011 issued by DOH detailed the guidelines for the provision of medical and related discounts and special privileges to PWDs pursuant to Republic Act No. 9442, an act amending the Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities (RA No. 7277).
Under the said order, PWDs are entitled to a 20 percent discount in the purchase of branded and unbranded medicines from all establishments dispensing medicines for the exclusive use of persons with disabilities and 20 percent discount for the cost of medical , dental and rehabilitation services, diagnostic and laboratory fees in service wards and sections of government health facilties in accordance with Clinical Practice Guidelines or hospital Treatment Protocols and in all private hospitals and medical facilities.
Also, psychological or developmental tests in service wards of government hospitals and speech therapies or services in all private hospital and medical facilities are the other discounted services included.
In the same administrative order, persons with disabilities who are not yet PhilHealth members may become PhilHealth members if they are sponsored or enrolled by their respective LGUs or voluntarily enroll themselves as individually paying members.
To avail of the discount, a person with disability must present his/her identification card issued by the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) or by the LGU where he/she resides. In addition, a purchase booklet issued by LGUs to persons with disabilities for free shall be presented every time a purchase of medicine is made. (Reyan L. Arinto)
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