To help bring better healthcare access to indigent Filipinos, the 117th Malasakit Center was launched at the Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC) last June 4, 2021. According to Evelyn Muñiz, MSWD Head and Operational Manager of Malasakit Center at the POC, the Malasakit Center will house all helping institutions such as Philhealth, PCSO, DSWD, and the DOH in a “one-stop shop” located inside the hospital’s Medical Social Work Department (MSWD).
“It will ease the burden of our patients with impaired mobility from hopping around seeking assistance from one agency to another. There will be no need to send out patients to these agencies since their desk is inside the Malasakit Center. This brings forth a new horizon in making health services more accessible to all Filipinos especially to our poor, indigent and vulnerable Orthopaedic patients.”
Patients may avail of all available hospital services such as hospital bill assistance, diagnostics, treatment/procedures, medicines, medical supplies including implants, and assistive devices. It is open for confined patients, and patients in the emergency room and outpatient department.
The POC MSWD thanked Malasakit Center Act proponent Sen. Bong Go, who was a special guest at the launch, along with Cong. Onyx Crisologo, OPAV Sec. Michael Lloyd Dino, DOH Usec. Roger Tong-An, DOH Asec Elmer Punzalan, DSWD Usec Aimee Neri, Asec Girlie Veloso, Dir. Angelina Del Mundo, Medical Center Chief Dr. Brix Pujalte and officials from PhilHealth, PCSO, and DSWD.