THE indigent residents in the fourth and sixth legislative districts would never face problems if they seek treatment at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City and Eversley Childs Sanitarium and General Hospital (ECSGH) in Mandaue City.
This, after the officials of the two hospitals recently signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with sixth district Rep. Emmarie Ouano-Dizon and fourth district Rep. Janice Salimbangon. Sixth district includes Mandaue City and the towns of Consolacion and Cordova, while the fourth district covers Bogo City and the towns of Bantayan, Daanbantayan, Madridejos, Medellin, San Remigio, Sta. Fe, Tabogon and Tabuelan.
The MOA states that the poor residents in the two districts can avail themselves of the Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients Program (MAIPP) of the Department of Health using Dizon and Salimbangon’s legislative funds.
Dizon’s office will give P7.5 million to the VSMMC and P3.5 million to ECSGH.
For its part, Salimbangon’s office will give P4 million to the VSMMC and P1 million to ECSGH.
The funds can be used for paying hospital bills, laboratory fees and other medical services.
Dizon said the maximum assistance that her constituent can get is P50,000, but the amount can be increased depending on her constituent’s needs. An outpatient can get a maximum of P5,000 in medical aid.
The legislator said all her constituents, regardless of political color, can avail themselves of the MAIPP.
A person, however, who wishes to get the assistance must be able to present a certification from the Department of Social Welfare and Development that he is indigent. (GCM)