BACOLOD Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran urged the City Health Office (CHO) to coordinate with hospitals in the city to purchase medicines believed to help in the healing of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients.

Familiaran, chairman of Bacolod City Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), said Friday, October 22, 2021, that only hospitals can purchase these alleged anti-Covid-19 medicines like Remdisivir and Tocilizumab from suppliers.

Some of these medicines were sold at a very high price, he said.

“We should purchase these medicines so we can provide them to the Covid-19 patients who cannot afford to buy them. We are talking about lives, but there are still some individuals who are taking advantage of the situation," the vice mayor said.

Familiaran noted he was informed that the Tocilizumab can be purchased from P13,000 to P15,000 for every vial, but suppliers in the city sell them from P80,000 to P100,000.

He said the CHO has enough funds to purchase these medicines.

On Wednesday, the Bacolod City Council has approved a resolution urging the CHO through the City Mayor’s Office to make some pre-emptive purchases of anti-Covid medicines like Remdesivir and Tocilizumab believed to be effective against Covid-19.

Councilor Renecito Novero, who authored the resolution, earlier said medicines like Remdesivir and Tocilizumab are believed to be helpful in the healing and recovery of patients that are seriously infected with the coronavirus.