Botica ng Bayan outlets closing down

CEBU, Philippines - DOH also warns against purchasing medicines from ambulant vendors

The government is phasing out the Botica ng Barangay (BnB) in favor of a better Philhealth benefit package.

This, as the Department of Health (DOH)-7 warned the public not to purchase medicines, whether generic or branded, from ambulant peddlers, as they may be dealing counterfeit or fake drugs.

 â€œPlease, ayaw mo palit ug tambal sa mga (do not buy medicine from) ambulant peddlers. Buy only from legitimate outlets or distributors with certificates of good manufacturing practice issued by the Food and Drugs Administration of DOH,” said newly-installed DOH-7 Regional Director Jaime Bernadas during the Kapihan sa PIA forum yesterday.

He said counterfeit drugs do not comply with standards authorities set for medicine to be effective; worse, they may even cause allergies to patients.

 â€œKung counterfeit nga tambal ang imong mapalit, imbis patyon ang kagaw, igo ra nang gigitik (Counterfeit medicines are not effective). So people should be careful where to buy their medicines,” he added.

On the BnBs, DOH-7 Health Facilities Development Section Chief Thelma Fernandez, said the boticas would be stopped with the adoption of Philhealth’s Primary Care Benefit 1 (PCB1), which covers consultation that includes annual health profiling, and basic screening for cancer of cervix and breast.

“With PhilHealth’s Primary Care Benefit 1, the Botica sa Barangay will soon be phased out,” said Fernandez, during the Kapihan sa PIA forum yesterday.

She said Central Visayas currently has 423 BnBs, including 200 in Cebu. There is already a moratorium on the establishment of new BnB outlets.

Fernandez said BnB’s objectives have already been achieved, such as providing effective medicines at a lower cost and the wider use of generic medicines.

Philhealth’s new program started last June with all teachers and Department of Education personnel as beneficiaries.

The new program is in support of President Benigno Aquino III’s Health Agenda, also known as Kalusugan Pangkalahatan, which aims to provide universal health care to all Filipinos.

In a previous statement, Philhealth announced the package includes counseling on how to maintain good health and, if deemed needed by its primary doctor, basic laboratory tests like complete blood count, urinalysis, fecalysis, sputum microscopy, fasting blood sugar, lipid profile, and chest x-ray.

BnBs were established in 2003, providing access to low-priced generic over-the-counter and medication drugs.

They were meant to promote health equity by ensuring availability and accessibility of affordable, safe and effective, and quality essential drugs to all, with priority for marginalized, underserved, critical, and hard-to-reach areas.

They were also aimed to address the limited number of pharmacies in the country by ordering DOH to establish drug stores in each barangay.

With the closing down of BnBs, Bernadas appealed for pharmacies to sell quality generic medicines at an affordable price and protect consumers from buying counterfeit drugs.

Food and Drugs Regulation Officer II Sarah Oriol of the DOH- 7Food and Drugs Administration said that they padlocked one pharmacy and one manufacturer in Cebu this year for selling fake drugs.

 She said, though, the most common violation is the absence of pharmacists, who should directly supervise the dispensing of medicines. Cebu currently has 1,073 drugstores.

 â€œDrugs (medicines) can heal and kill. Pharmacists are important in every drugstore,” Oriol said.

On the other hand, Bernadas said there is a decline in the number of pharmacists in the country because some medical schools stopped offering pharmacy in favor of nursing.  There are also pharmacists who opted to work abroad.

 â€œUso-uso man gud ning ato-a (It is seasonal). But now, pwerte na man sad hinoong daghana ang (there are already so many who are into) nursing and there is a demand for pharmacists. So, schools are opening na. In three to four years from now, daghan na sad ta ug (there would be more) pharmacists,” he said. – (FREEMAN)