The Philippine government's half-priced medicine program is a huge success and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo wants the scheme to reach more needy people.
On Thursday, at a round table discussion in Malacanang, Arroyo said the program would be available to any drugstore willing to sell medicine at cheaper prices.'The reason why we asked the Philippine International Trading Corporation to purchase these cheap medicines is because we want to make sure any drugstore can have it,' the President explained during the forum that included Makati Rep. Teddy Locsin, PITC Undersecretary Elson Rivera and housewife Malou Hormigos.
The PITC also regularly imports low cost medicine from India.
'India sells to the poor world so they are reputable,' the president pointed out stressing that cheaper medicine does not mean bad quality.
The president assured that commonly used medicine such as those taken for colds and cough, hypertension and pulmonary diseases, will be sold at half-the-price of 2001 before her term ends in 2010.
Source-Medindia
PRI/S
