City Hall explains purchase of soap, milk, Viagra for medical aid program

THE Cebu city government will pay today P2 million of the P7 million that it owes to Pro-Poor Pharmacy as part of its City Hospitalization Assistance and Medicine Program (Champ).

Champ administrative officer Marivic Alolod said the city has presented the Commission on Audit the reasons it is subsidizing the purchase of shampoo, soap, blades and Viagra tablets.

Alolod said shampoo purchased by the beneficiaries are medicated.

Some patients have scalp allergies that need to be treated using medicated shampoo, said Alolod. Others need certain kinds of soap for treating skin allergies.
Viagra tablets, popularly used to treat erectile dysfunction, were prescribed to patients with heart disease, Alolod said.

Blades, meanwhile. were used in surgeries that beneficiaries went through.

Cans of powdered milk were prescribed by doctors to infants and the elderly who were diagnosed with malnutrition.

She said they attached to a letter to COA explanations made by doctors of the program’s beneficiaries to justify the purchases that state auditors earlier questioned.

With the payment, Pro-Poor is expected to resume their services for Champ beneficiaries on Monday, Alolod said. Correspondent Fatrick R. Tabada