Senator Christopher “Bong” Go reminded hospitals and healthcare providers not to take advantage of crisis.
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Sunday reminded hospitals and healthcare providers not take advantage of the crisis.
This, as he — the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health — reminded healthcare providers and hospitals to comply with the price range for COVID-19 test kits and testing.
The senator made the call amidst reports of unscrupulous business entities that had been raising the prices of COVID-19 testing services.
The senator also said that hospitals and healthcare providers shouldn’t make business out of the health of every Filipino.
READ ALSO | Senator Go To Hospitals, Testing Labs: ‘Dapat silang sumunod at parusahan kapag hindi sila sumunod’
It was last November 4, 2020, when President Rodrigo Duterte approved EO 118, series of 2020, directing the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Health (DOH) to formulate, determine, and impose a just and equitable price range for COVID-19 test kits and testing.
In addition, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Health were also directed to monitor and review the market supply and prices of COVID-19 tests and to issue appropriate price control measures and adjustments if necessary as well.
According to Senator Go, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Health were already looking at the possible implementation of certain penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment or both for erring manufacturers, traders, importers, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, individuals, health care providers, or licensed COVID-19 testing laboratories who were charging unreasonably-high price.
Senator Go also encouraged the government to work closely with private institutions and other healthcare providers in order to ensure continued and unhampered COVID-19 testing services.
“Ang importante dito is magtulungan, mga pribadong institusyon, Red Cross, gobyerno, PhilHealth, magtulungan, mabayaran, tuluy-tuloy po ‘yung serbisyo at hindi po maantala,” Senator Go reiterated.
For more news and updates, you may feel free to visit this site more often. You may also visit Newspapers.ph via official Facebook page and YouTube channel.