SEN. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, reiterated his commitment to support more cancer patients as he continues to push for government programs and measures to help ease their burden as they overcome their medical condition.
On Tuesday, December 20, Go and former president Rodrigo Duterte visited Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Davao City where they personally provided assistance to cancer patients getting treatment at SPMC’s Children’s Cancer Institute and House of Hope.
“To the patients, do not lose hope. There’s the Lord, and He loves us. It is important that you get well. My wish for all is a merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year ahead of us. I hope that we get back soon to our normal lives and be with our families,” said Go in a short interview after the event.
Recognizing the fighting spirit and bravery of the cancer patients, he added, “We are here with former president Duterte to visit and give the cancer patients joy this Christmas.”
The senator then cited several of his initiatives, such as the Malasakit Centers and the Super Health Centers, and vowed to continue pushing for better access to affordable health services and a stronger health care system.
Go principally authored and sponsored Republic Act (RA) 11463, otherwise known as the “Malasakit Centers Act of 2019,” which mandates all Department of Health-run hospitals and the Philippine General Hospital to establish their own centers and ensure that medical assistance programs are available to poor patients.
On the other hand, the Super Health Center is a medium version of a polyclinic and an improved version of the rural health unit.
The services available in the center include database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: X-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit.
Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service; oncology centers; physical therapy and rehabilitation center; and telemedicine, where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients are done.
Go was one of the lawmakers who advocated for the Cancer Assistance Fund to be included in the government’s 2022 budget.
He also pushed the same for the 2023 General Appropriations Act, amounting to P500 million.
“I am always one with you in the fight against this disease. In fact, during the budget deliberations last year, I pushed for an additional budget for the cancer assistance fund to subsidize the cost of cancer treatment, including the needed diagnostics and laboratory tests,” recounted Go.
Acknowledging the demand for specialized inpatient and outpatient hospital services, Go also reiterated his support for the establishment of more specialty hospitals or centers nationwide.
The senator pointed out that many Filipinos with health concerns, especially those in far-flung areas, struggle to receive immediate and adequate medical attention given the need to travel to urbanized cities to visit existing specialty hospitals.
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