LinGaP sa Masa Reaches More Poor Patients in Central Visayas

About 6,345 indigent patients who are confined in or receiving out-patient treatment in six hospitals in region 7 have availed the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) “Lingap at Gabay Para sa May Sakit” (LinGaP sa Masa) in 2017.
This is equivalent to Php 81,063,883.03 amount disbursed by the Field Office.

When it started in March 2017, the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City was the first regional partner-hospital in Cental Visayas that implements the free medicine assistance program which is funded under President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s Socio-Civic Projects Funds.

The program is also implemented in other four regions, namely NCR, regions 3, 6 and 11.

Initially known as “Libreng Gamot Para sa Masa” the assistance was limited only to free medicines.

The program guidelines were later amended so that it would be more accessible to clients in need.

The LinGaP sa Masa now caters other medical needs like prosthetics, assistive devices and laboratory procedures.

In October 2017, DSWD-7 expanded its engagement in Bohol Province through the partnership with the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) based in Tagbilaran City.

To reach more indigent patients, the DSWD-7 added four more hospitals namely the Talisay City District Hospital in Brgy. San Isidro, Talisay City, St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital in Brgy. Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City, Eversley Child’s Sanitarium and General Hospital in Brgy. Jagobiao, Mandaue City and Don Emilio Del Valle Memorial Hospital in Brgy. Bood, Ubay, Bohol.

This was made possible in coordination with the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) and the Department of Health (DOH) Region 7, which have to establish a One-Stop-Shop Malasakit Center in the six partner-hospitals.

The DSWD-7 had already set-up desks and deployed social workers in the partner-hospitals to immediately assist clients in availing of the program.

One of the beneficiaries, Arnel Alemorin, 33 years old, a cancer patient seeking medical care at VSMMC, finds hope amidst the burden confronting him right on.

He discovered his illness in 2014 and had minor operations to prevent it. However, the illness has recurred.

“Nagpa-opera ko niadtong August 2017 og after two months nagsugod naku sa akong chemotherapy (I had my major operation last August 2017 and after two months I underwent chemotherapy),” Arnel emphasized that he spent his separation pay from work for his operation.

“Dili naman ko komportable nga motrabaho ato tungod sa akong sakit mao nga niundang nalang ko isip sales representative (I was no longer comfortable working at that time because of my illness so I just quit from my job as a sales representative),” Arnel said as he was diagnosed with malignant eccrine poroma in his lower extremity, a rare type of skin cancer arising from sweat glands.

Arnel was referred by his relative who is also a cancer patient to avail of the LinGaP sa Masa of DSWD.

“Sa ikaduhang chemotheraphy session nako mao sad ang una nga pag-avail nako aning programaha og mikabat to ug Php 28,000.00 tanang tambal nako (In my second chemotherapy session, it was my first time to avail this program and it totaled to Php 28,000.00 for all my medicines),” Arnel added.

“Dako gyud niini nga tabang sa ako kay kung sa laing organization limited rapud ang mahatag dili ang tanang medisina nga gikinahanglan (This is a big help for me because if it is in other organization, it would just be limited and they cannot provide all the medicines needed),” said Arnel matter-of-factly.

Arnel already accepted his fate and lift it all to God.

“Karon nga naa nay mga proyekto ang gobyerno sama niini nga maka-avail og libreng tambal labi na ang mga kabus murag aduna gyud tsansa nga maayo ko sa akong sakit (Now that the government has this program which poor people can avail of free medicines, there is a big chance that I can be healed of my illness),” with great hope he said.

Inspired by the government support through the LinGaP sa Masa program, Arnel vowed to finish his three remaining chemotherapy sessions.

Arnel is more inspired to get better for his family especially that a baby girl was added to their growing family last year.