Proposal for free hospitalization to poor kids passes first reading

The Cebu Provincial Board has passed on first reading a proposed ordinance that aims to provide free hospitalization to children from indigent families.

The proposed ordinance sponsored by Board Member Celestino Martinez III is now being studied by the PB committee on health.

If approved, the ordinance would require provincial and district hospitals to provide free medical care to children up to six years old. Martinez said providing free medical care to indigent children would alleviate the burden of parents.

The proposed ordinance is anchored on the province’s constitutional mandate to provide social services to its constituents, as well as promote health development of children especially those born to indigent parents.

When approved, the indigent parents should comply, present and submit a Verified Certificate of Indigence issued by the barangay where they are living. The certificate should state the age of the child and verified by the Municipal/City Social Welfare Development Office.

The parents will be given at least 24 hours from the time of admission to comply with the documentary requirements.

The beneficiaries and their parents should not be charged for any medical care and attention given to them by the provincial hospital concerned. They should not be billed for any medical, incidental and miscellaneous expenses.

All provincial hospitals under the jurisdiction and funding of the province are mandated to provide medical care not limited to in-patient services, professional care services, diagnostics, laboratory and other medical examination services, use of operating and surgical rooms, use of surgical, operating and other medical equipment and facilities, prescription drugs which are available in the hospital, outpatient services and other forms of medical care and attention without the need of any deposit.

Also, the use of ambulance in transporting beneficiaries to and from provincial or district hospitals, or from provincial or district hospitals to private hospitals shall be free of charge.

Under the ordinance, penal and administrative sanctions shall be meted upon the head of the provincial hospital concerned, the hospital employee and the medical professional who will violate any provisions of the Ordinance.

“The budget for this program shall be taken from the annual budget allocated for the operation of all Provincial Hospitals, while in case of insufficiency of funds, the Provincial Governor shall submit and allocate for a supplemental budget for that purpose,” the proposed ordinance reads.