“Apart from the Pinoy Health Pass, some of GSK’s more prominent programs are the Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) Elimination and NARS (Nurses Assigned in Rural Service) Programs.”
by Ducky Paredes
Six million indigent Filipino families, which need health care and can avail of insurance coverage do not have the means and do not know how to go about getting PhilHealth coverage.
There are five thousand indigent families in Dinagat, which will soon be given health and sanitation training. (Dinagat Islands constitute a province located on south side of Leyte Gulf; it is East of Leyte Province, across Surigao Strait and north of Mindanao. Its main island – Dinagat – is 50 km. across. Is a great place for rock-climbing.) In addition, these families will also receive subsidized health insurance. This month, GlaxoSmithKline Foundation (GSKF) partnered once again with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to institute Pinoy Health Pass 2.
Since the inception of Pinoy Health Pass 2, GSK has contributed over nine million pesos that have benefited over 13,000 families. GSK is one giant multinational drug company with a benevolent mindset.
While controversy seem to be the name of many foreign pharmaceutical companies doing business in the country, GSK has maintained its status as a compassionate outfit that caters to those who do not even belong to their primary target market.
Through the years, people have learned to identify some unpleasant archetypes in today’s society — the crooked cop, Mr. corrupt politician, and the apathetic bum. These models have helped mold public opinion and the way people navigate their cultural lives. One of the most prevalent archetypes is that of the Big Greedy (and yes, foreign) Corporation.
Well, lucky for us, some giant multinationals will go out of their way to buck the prototype.
GSK is one of the largest pharmaceutical corporations in the world. In the Philippines alone, the company employs over 700 and has a total manufacturing investment valued at 640 million pesos. Even before the government mandated drug outfits to bring down their prices to more affordable levels, as early as 2008, GSK reduced their prices while continuing their life-saving programs in communities that most their help.
Apart from the Pinoy Health Pass, some of GSK’s more prominent programs are the Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) Elimination and NARS (Nurses Assigned in Rural Service) Programs.
The LF Elimination Program is implemented as part of the global effort to eliminate the parasite-borne disease LF or elephantiasis. GSK carries this out in partnership with the Department of Health and private groups.
Among infectious diseases, LF is considered as the second leading cause of permanent disability. Those who have seen the pictures of LF victims will readily acknowledge that it’s not a pretty sight. Even more gruesome is the World Health Organization’s estimate that there are more than 200,000 cases of LF in the Philippines. This eradication program treats residents of whole communities with GSK’s anti-parasitic drug, Zentel (albendazole), once a year for a period of 5 years.
As of 2008, GSK had already donated a total of 99 million tablets of Zentel (albendazole), valued at P990 Million and helping protect millions of Filipinos.
This October, the second batch of nurses will be deployed to poor communities as part of the NARS program. In time, The NARS project will deploy a total of 10,000 unemployed nurses to the country’s poorest communities to help improve the delivery of health care services and supplies.
What drives GSK to do what it does? Peter Parker (aka Spider man) says: “With great power comes great responsibility.” JFK adds: “”To whom much is given, much is required.” And from the King James version: “”From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”
By creating advocacies and cooperating with organizations such as PhilHealth and the local provincial governments Glaxo sends a strong message to other pharma companies: You get what you put in. Some foreign companies are hounded by controversies and even pickets. (Just last week, one of the larger pharmaceutical outfits had some unwelcome visitors in their premises in the form of militant demonstrators). GSK operates in relative peace.
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We have a letter: “I am not a fan of Erap. It is better to spend your life with a pet dog and it will remain loyal to the end. Lacson is the pit-bull of the administration under the guise of being an oppositionist and he will be loyal to the administration till the end. This person will tear you apart like a pit-bull and does not have any qualms in using his immunity. He is a runaway train waiting to be derailed. Yes, he ran for president during the last presidential election solely to divide the opposition. He is crafty, sly, and an ingrate. It is about time to look into his source of wealth. The guy did not have any decency left in his blood.” — Jim Dominguez
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The fifth leg of the San Mig Coffee Sugar Free Senior Golf Series of the Federation of Philippine Amateur Senior Golfers, Inc. will be held Sept. 25 at the Mimosa Golf and Country Club in Angeles City, Pampanga with sequential tee-off between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.
It is hosted by Mimosa Senior Golfers Association, Inc. (MSGA) headed by president Pat Heron.
As with all of the legs of the San Mig Senior Golf Series, there will be raffle prizes for all participants as well as give-aways of San Miguel products as well as trophies for age group Champions and runners-up and for the winner of the team competition between competing member-clubs of the FPASGI.
All FPASGI members are invited to join this tournament, which is the second to the last tournament. The last tournament in the series will be held in December.
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hvp 09.22.09
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