CHO seeks budget boost for Hemophilia treatment

AN OFFICIAL from the City Health Office (CHO) has expressed the need to double the current budget of P500,000 for factor concentrates in response to the growing demand from Hemophilia patients in Davao City.

Dr. Tomas Miguel Ababon, head of CHO, explained during a media interview on Tuesday morning, April 30, 2024, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod, that the office currently receives a fixed tranche of P500,000 from the City Government of Davao, allowing them to purchase approximately 60 vials of factor concentrate.

“I am thinking now to ask for another budget na mapa-increase natu atoang Hemophilia factor for one-year pero naa pana siya sa pipeline karun (I am considering proposing an increased budget to address the rising demand for Hemophilia factor concentrate over the next year, although this is still in the planning stage),” he said.

Ababon said that there are roughly 300 Hemophilia patients in the area, all of whom can benefit from the factor concentrates provided by CHO.

However, he emphasized that priority would be given to Davao City residents with Hemophilia.

“Wala ko nagsulti nga para lang gyud tu siya sa Davao City pero priority gyud ang taga Davao (I want to clarify that while this initiative primarily targets Davao City residents, our focus is on prioritizing medication for residents of Davao),” he said.

He further explained that Hemophilia patients must obtain a prescription from the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) to access factor concentrates. Nonetheless, he noted that CHO cannot fulfill all necessary doses, and patients may need to obtain additional doses elsewhere.

Despite the current annual budget of P500,000 for factor concentrates, Ababon highlighted that this amount is insufficient to meet the demand for all Hemophilia patients in the city. He said that the city has already depleted its stock of factor concentrates and therefore seeks to increase the budget to facilitate additional purchases.

The P500,000 annual allocation was established through an ordinance during the tenure of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

He expressed confidence in a provision within the ordinance that allows for budget increases as needed, proposing to double the allocation and include it in the 2025 general fund.

Previously, SPMC urged CHO to procure more factor concentrates to enhance patient access.

Hemophilia, as described by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is a condition in which blood clots more slowly due to a deficiency in specific clotting factors, resulting in an increased risk of bleeding and potential organ and joint damage. It is typically hereditary and more prevalent in men. (Read full story on sunstar.com.ph/davao)