THE City Government of Mati and the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on March 5, 2022, that aims to provide free assistance to Mati City residents availing surgery at the hospital.
The agreement states that patients recommended for thyroid surgeries are the initial beneficiaries of the program.
According to Mati City Information Office (CIO), the Department of Surgery of SPMC, along with Mati LGU will provide the overall policy framework that will be implemented.
The MOA also covers aftercare services by the Mati City Health Office (CHO) and SPMC with regards to the recovery of the patients.
Ben Tesiorna of the Mati CIO told SunStar Davao the program is targeted to be implemented as soon as possible since the Mati CHO is currently working on the list of the first set of beneficiaries.
However, beneficiaries are required to be members of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) since it will cover the initial cost of the surgery. The remaining amount not covered by PhilHealth will be shouldered by the Mati LGU through the Medical Assistance Program.
“No billing talaga siya for the patients (The patients will not be billed) as part of the LGU’s adherence to the Universal Health Care Act,” Tesiorna said on Sunday, March 6.
Based on the report of CIO, the Mati CHO will come up with a list of patients to be referred to SPMC after the patients have gone through an initial assessment by SPMC graduates at the Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Hospital.
Afterward, Mati residents in need of thyroid surgery will be brought to SPMC in Davao City via emergency medical services transport.
The CIO said Mati City Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat hopes the program will expand further in the future to provide more medical help for Mati residents. (With reports from Mati CIO)