Ifugao health office pushes for more botika ng barangay

By Marcelo L. Lihgawon

Monday 30th of April 2012

BANAUE, Ifugao, April 30 (PIA) -- The Provincial Health Office (PHO) is pushing for the establishment of more drug outlets in two towns of the province to cater to the health needs of the community.

Dr. Marivic Fabro, Botika ng Barangay (BNB) Project Coordinator, said that their office is planning to put up 30 drug stores that sell cheap quality medicines in areas where these are mostly needed particularly in the municipalities of Banaue and Mayoyao.

“Many barangays of these two municipalities don’t have BNB that provide safe, effective, and very much affordable medicines for the majority of the people, most especially the poor,” Fabro stated.

She reiterated that the establishment of more drug outlets in the province is also in response to the government’s thrust of having a BNB in every barangay nationwide.

She said they are stepping up and finding efforts in order that the province will have 100 percent BNB coverage by year 2014. So far, among the eleven municipalities, only Asipulo has a 100 percent coverage.

The setting up of BNB in the different barangays of the province started in 2004 with a P12,500 worth of medicine as seed capital. In 2009, the Department of Health (DOH) doubled the seed capital to P25,000 worth of generic medicines.

Fabro further disclosed that some of the BNB in the province are successful with some even doubling their capital. “The success is attributed to the sincere and dedication of trained barangay health workers to operate the BNB in their respective barangay,” she said.

Before generic medicines are released to the different BNBs, the Department of Health conducts seminar to some selected BHWs who act as BNB operators in the communities. (JDP/MBL-PIA CAR,Ifugao)