Elderly citizens in Quezon City won’t have to spend anymore for certain maintenance medicines starting Tuesday.

The city government announced Monday that the Senior Citizens Maintenance Medicine Program will cover hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

Health centers will make available for free and until supplies last losartan (50mg/tab) and amlodipine (5mg/tab) for hypertension; metformin (500mg/tab) for those with diabetes; and simvastatin (20mg/tab) for those high cholesterol.

Senior citizens must register at https://quezoncity.gov.ph/covid-19-watch/hospitals-and-health-centers-directory/. They must also have their senior citizen identification and medical prescriptions when going to health centers.

They will receive free maintenance medicines every month based on their needs.

Netizens were quick to express their gratitude on Facebook.

“Thank you, Mayor Joy Belmonte, together with the QC Government for your project for all senior citizens. God bless all of you,” Charity Aleta posted.

Another resident wished the city government will also provide free vitamins and maintenance medicines even for those who have not yet reached the age of 60 but are already taking such.

“Sana all libre (I wish everything will be free),” Norma Calimpusan Sebastian wrote.

The free medicine program is based on City Ordinance no. SP-2892, passed in December 2019, but was relaunched recently to be able to accommodate more senior citizens into the program.

Belmonte, in a statement issued Monday, said the city government is trying its best to give accessible medical services and assistance to its residents.

“Sa pamamagitan ng programang ito, tutuldukan na natin ‘yung matagal nang suliranin ng mga mahihirap nating mamamayan, lalo na ng mga senior citizen, na walang pambili ng gamot pang-maintenance (Through this program we will put an end to the lifelong problem of our indigent residents, especially the elderly, who do not have financial sources to buy their maintenance medicines),” Belmonte said. (PNA)