STARTING April 5, 2022, QCitizen elderlies who need maintenance medicines for hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol will get them for free through the city’s Senior Citizen Maintenance Medicine Program.
Under the relaunched program, each indigent senior citizen with the said medical conditions will receive medicines including Losartan (50mg/tab), Amlodipine (5mg/tab), Metformin (500mg/tab), and Simvastatin (20mg/tab).
The free medicine program was based on City Ordinance no. SP-2892 passed in December 2019, authored by Majority Leader Franz Pumaren, Councilor Donny Matias and Councilor
Imee Rillo, and is being relaunched this month to accommodate more senior citizens into the program.
“Sa pamamagitan ng programang ito, tutuldukan na natin ‘yung matagal nang suliranin ng mga mahihirap nating mamamayan, lalo na ng mga senior citizen, na walang pambili ng gamot pang-maintenance. Sinisikap ng pamahalaang lungsod na maging accessible para sa lahat ang dekalidad na serbisyong medikal,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.
Elderlies who want to become part of the program will have to register at their nearest health center. They have to present their QC ID or their existing Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA) ID.
Once registered, the seniors will undergo physical exam and check up by the designated health center doctor. They will also be given a prescription (if they don’t have any) and will receive the medicines.
Seniors can claim their monthly supply of medicines every first Tuesday of the month, which is declared as the Senior Citizens Day in all of the 65 health centers of the QC.
For patients who need medicines that are unavailable in the health centers, they will be referred to the Social Services Development Department for medical assistance.
Aside from the free medicines, the Quezon City Health Department (QCHD) also gives free flu and pneumococcal vaccines to seniors.
Health center staff also regularly visit each indigent bedridden senior. They receive services such as free lab exams and dental checkups.
“This is just among our city’s programs for our dearest senior citizens. Sinisiguro po namin na alaga po kayo rito sa Quezon City,” Mayor Belmonte added.
