Council okays P6.4 million for drugs vs. dengue

CEBU, Philippines – Cebu City Council yesterday finally approved the proposed amended resolution of Councilor Rodrigo "Bebot" Abellanosa for the appropriation of P6,420,000 for the purchase of drugs and medicines to fight dengue in the city.

Abellanosa explained that while it is true that dengue cases in Cebu City are on the wane, the budget is still necessary because it will be spent to replenish the stock of drugs and medicines at the CCMC.

Durinda Macasocol, the assistant head of the Cebu City Health department's epidemiology statistics and surveillance unit, said the budget will be spent for drugs and medicines, fluids or dextrose, reagents for the laboratory's free Complete Blood Count, platelet count, blood typing for the dengue patients and to purchase chemicals that can kill mosquitoes.

Meanwhile, it was agreed by the city council yesterday that Cebu City Medical Center chief Myrna Go will be invited during their session on next Friday to find out how the CCMC spent the P5 million additional budget that were also released by the city last year to fight dengue.

It was Councilor Edgardo Labella who suggested that Go will be asked to appear before them because she failed to submit a liquidation report of the P5 million budget released to CCMC.

Mayor Michael Rama yesterday promised to quickly investigate the alleged illegal activities of some personnel at the CCMC once he receives formal complaints.

There were reports that the CCMC had received assorted donations from different companies and even foreign donors, but these were not properly recorded into the hospital's book of properties.

Rama instructed City Hall Public Information Officer Carlo Dugaduga to prepare the necessary communications to Go to remind her that donations should be properly accounted for.

The mayor admitted that if the donated properties will not be properly recorded in the hospital's book of properties it is possible that these donations may just fall into the hands of some unscrupulous persons.

Rama said he will ask Go to submit to him a report of all donated properties to the hospital and to specify what companies donated them.

He also challenged those who have knowledge about the alleged illegal activities of some personnel at the 48-year old city hospital to give him the report so he can act on it.

It was reported that even if CCMC has the needed drugs and medicines for the patients some of the doctors will just issue prescriptions so the patients' companions are compelled to purchase the drugs at nearby drugstores.

Rama said he already wants to appoint a new hospital director to replace Go, but the problem is that none of those he offered the job to were interested, probably because of the low salary. (FREEMAN)