The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Philippine Pharma Procurement Inc. (PPPI), under the leadership of its President and CEO, Undersecretary Maria Blanca Kim B. Lokin, held a strategic meeting with the top management of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), led by President and CEO Emmanuel R. Ledesma Jr., on August 14, 2024, at the PhilHealth head office.
The meeting focused on collaborative initiatives to ensure the availability of essential medicines for PhilHealth’s benefit programs, particularly the Konsulta and GAMOT programs.
The Konsulta program, or “Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama,” is a comprehensive outpatient primary care package that provides capitation payments for free annual check-ups, health risk screening, selected diagnostic tests, and medicines. Meanwhile, the GAMOT program, or “Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment,” is a standalone outpatient initiative that covers a selection of essential medicines.
As part of the partnership, PPPI will roll out an enhanced Botika Ng Bayan, which will serve as access points for free medicines under the Konsulta and GAMOT programs. This initiative aims to ensure that patients diagnosed under the Konsulta program have guaranteed access to the necessary medicines for treatment and management of their conditions.
An attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), PPPI is a subsidiary of the Philippine International Trading Corporation and an affiliate of the National Development Company. It is mandated to procure and distribute medicines and medical supplies to both government and private hospitals, as well as other health facilities nationwide. PPPI’s mission is to ensure that all Filipinos have access to safe, effective, and affordable medicines.