How cancer patients, survivors can access assistance fund

Magnified "cancer" text from a newspaper.
Image by PDPics from Pixabay

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health said Monday it has opened an assistance fund that aims to support cancer patients and survivors.

“As part of our efforts towards realizing Universal Health Care, the cancer assistance fund (CAF) was developed and implemented to increase the accessibility of specialty cancer care services to many of our kababayans afflicted with this disease,” DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said.

What is covered by the implementation of the cancer assistance fund?

It will cover outpatient and inpatient services, including but not limited to diagnostics, therapeutic procedures, medicines, treatment and management services, and other care-related components of cancer.

DOH said the fund is designed to complement existing financial support mechanisms in public and private facilities.

What are the priority cancer types eligible to be financed by the CAF?

  • Breast cancer
  • Childhood cancer
  • Gynecologic cancer
  • Liver cancer
  • Adult blood cancer
  • Head and neck cancers
  • Lung cancer
  • Prostate, renal and urinary bladder cancers

How to avail of the cancer assistance fund?

Patients and/or carers must submit the requirements to identified access sites where CAF services are made available.

Required documents, including prescriptions, treatment protocols and medical abstracts, will first undergo evaluation prior to approval and availment of services.

Where to access the DOH Cancer Assistance Fund?

  • Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center
  • East Avenue Medical Center
  • Jose M. Reyes Memorial Medical Center
  • Rizal Medical Center
  • Philippine General Hospital
  • National Kidney and Transplant Institute
  • Philippine Children’s Medical Center
  • National Children’s Medical Hospital
  • Asian Hospital and Medical Center
  • Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center
  • Region 1 Medical Center
  • Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center
  • Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center
  • Cagayan Valley Medical Center
  • Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Center
  • Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center
  • Dr. Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center
  • Batangas Medical Center
  • Bicol Regional Teaching and Training Hospital
  • Bicol Medical Center
  • Western Visayas Medical Center
  • Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Hospital
  • Western Visayas Center for Health Development
  • Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center
  • Eastern Visayas Medical Center
  • Zamboanga City Medical Center
  • Northern Mindanao Medical Center
  • Davao Regional Medical Center
  • Southern Philippines Medical Center
  • Cotabato Regional and Medical Center
  • Cotabato Sanitarium

Gaea Katreena Cabico

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