Quezon City Mayor Herbert M. Bautista has urged the city-owned Quezon City General Hospital to study how to subsidize the cost of medical services extended to QC residents, especially emergency cases brought in by barangay authorities.
Bautista said that many barangay officials are shelling out their own money to pay the cost of treatment or certification of medico-legal cases they bring to hospital, especially if the patient is indigent or could not afford to pay the hospital charges.
If summed up, the cost is affecting the budget or finance of the barangay official or the barangay itself, particularly in areas with public order and safety problems, according to Mayor Bautista.
At QCGH, Dr. Josephine Sabando, Officer-In-Charge, said that medico-legal certificates are charged at P30.00 while medico-legal treatment ranges between P2,000 to P3,000. She said that discounts could be availed thru the social services of the hospital.
The hospital is serving a daily average of 25 to 30 medico-legal cases during weekdays, but this increases during weekends or holidays, when there are festivities in adjacent barangays. QCGH is located in Barangay Bahay Toro.
Social Services Development Department (SSDD) head Teresa Mariano said that the city government can provide funds to the social service needs of patients of the hospital, and for assistance not in terms of cash but medical supplies and treatment to medico-legal patients.
At present, Mariano said that SSDD can only provide discounts in the hospital bill of patients, but cannot provide medical supplies to those in need due to scarce resources.
Posted By: Edrillan Pasion
