Ordinance Assures Stable Supply of Cheap Medicines

Through the mandate of a City Ordinance, the drugs, medicines and other medical supplies for the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) will now be acquired on a consignment scheme that will be implemented months from now.

Councilor Lea Ouano-Japson explained that instead of buying in bulk, the city government will only be paying for drugs and medicines that will be consumed by the patients.

Japson’s sponsored ordinance has been approved by the City Council in last Wednesday’s session, which states that the consignment system will assure availability of stocks since it will be the suppliers’ responsibility to provide appropriate storage facilities for the goods and monitor their shelf life.

To ensure that the goods are not overpriced, the ordinance provides that the selling price of the consigned items should not be higher than the prevailing price in the local pharmacies, although the CCMC pharmacy is allowed to have a mark-up of 20%.

Hospital director Gloria Duterte said part of CCMC’s mission is to provide quality public service that is why the revenue generated from the consignment system will be used to upgrade the hospital facilities, operations and infrastructure.

Japson envisions that the aim of the new system will improve and expand medical services by providing the Cebuanos with the availability of cheaper and fresh drugs, medicine and supplies all year round.