CHD asked to look into meds supply, demand

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu City Council has asked the Cebu City Health Department (CHD) to look into the current available medicine in the city and what is highly in demand in order to prevent any shortage that could pose a risk to the health of Cebuanos.

The request was approved through a resolution authored by Councilor Rey Gealon during the regular council session last Wednesday, 22, 2024.

Gealon said that his resolution stemmed from recent international news that reportedly declared medicine shortages in England that are “beyond critical,” as warned by pharmacists.

It added that the drug shortages are now at such critical levels that patients are “at risk of immediate harm and even death.”

Another citation of the same resolution includes a 2023 article from the World Economic Forum that revealed that some countries in Europe, and Asia, as well as in the USA are experiencing medicine shortages for various reasons.

These reasons include COVID-19 lockdowns which “limited the normal circulation of seasonal bugs” and resulted in the weakening of immune systems, leading to higher-than-normal outbreaks of seasonal illnesses that reportedly resulted in an increase in annual demand for medicines.

“It is necessary that research and survey is conducted in Cebu City to determine the adequacy of medicine within the jurisdiction, in order to prevent any medicine shortage that could pose a risk to the health of Cebuanos,” reads an excerpt of the resolution.

In line with this, Gealon then urged the CHD to conduct a survey emphasizing that the said department is “mandated to promote health, prevent the occurrence of illnesses and control the spread of communicable diseases by providing the highest standard of quality health services to its constituents especially to the underserved populace by mobilizing communities, empowering people and saving lives through the years.”

Councilor Jose Lorenzo Abellanosa also raised a corollary motion, requesting the CHD to provide the council with a list of available and in demand medicines and that they must be prioritized, especially during the rainy season to meet the demands of the public.