Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte assured residents that they will receive the highest quality of healthcare as she highlighted the city’s achievements and future plans during her fifth State of the City Address (SOCA) on Monday, October 21.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte delivers her fifth State Of the City Address (SOCA) on Monday, October 21 (Photo from Quezon City Government)
In her speech, Belmonte stated that with the support of the Universal Health Care Integrated Site, all QCitizens will have access to free health services, including consultations, health risk screenings, various lab tests, and medications.
She also announced that the city government will continue to distribute free maintenance medications for hypertension and diabetes.
She also confirmed the city government's ongoing distribution of free maintenance medications for hypertension and diabetes. With the recent approval of various maintenance medicines in the National Drug Formulary. QCitizens with other chronic health conditions will soon receive complimentary medications.
Belmonte explained that the local government had previously faced challenges in providing additional medications due to lack of approval from the Department of Health.
“The only reason they haven’t been able to provide this free medicine before was that it wasn't approved by the Department of Health,” she stated.
“But now, the Department has approved a much longer list of medications, so QCitizens can expect to receive more of their urgent healthcare medications starting next year,” she added.
The mayor also announced that over 300,000 senior citizens will receive free vaccines against pneumonia and flu.
The city government aims to meet the 95-95-95 target set by the World Health Organization and continues to promote projects that support this goal.
Belmonte also emphasized the local government’s commitment to mental health programs, stating that essential medications for mental health treatment have been provided.
Additionally, the city’s Health Information System or QC Cares, now features a unified database for patients' records.
The system allows residents to access their medical records across different health centers within the city, ensuring continuity of care while preventing the misuse of medications and streamlining referrals to other facilities.
Belmonte highlighted that the city government employs a total of 79 doctors across 66 health centers, ensuring even larger barangays receive adequate healthcare.
In response to a pertussis outbreak affecting 87 infants in the city, the local government swiftly declared the outbreak and procured thousands of doses of the 6-in-1 vaccine and antibiotics to protect the city's children.
Furthermore, the local government has proactively addressed the threat of mpox by conducting contact tracing and inspecting 40 establishments, including spas and massage clinics.
It added that businesses operating without permits and those that failed to meet sanitation requirements were ordered to close immediately.
To combat the renewed threat of African Swine Fever, the local government has tightened security measures and strictly enforced the ordinance prohibiting hog raising in the city, aiming to prevent unsanitary slaughter practices.