DOH Caraga, Agusan Sur ink MOA for provincial cancer assistance fund (CAF) access site
By Niña Jonalyn B. Gambe-Diamante
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — Department of Health (DOH) Caraga Acting Regional Director Sadaila Raki-in and Agusan del Sur Governor Santiago B. Cane Jr. made official, through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signing, the allocation of the Cancer Assistance Fund (CAF) in the province of Agusan del Sur to provide financial support to low-income cancer patients
There are currently 38 CAF access sites nationwide where cancer patients can apply for financial aid for diagnostics and treatment. The establishment of the CAF access site in Agusan del Sur marks a significant milestone in healthcare not only for the province but as well as in the entire region as this is the first ever CAF access site in Caraga.
Target beneficiaries include individuals in high risk for cancer, cancer patients, and cancer survivors. However, due to the limited fund availability, the DOH prioritizes those patients with severe financial hardship or the ‘poorest of the poor,’ whose access to healthcare is hampered because of their inability to afford cancer medicines and treatment.
Beneficiaries of the CAF will be able to avail of the following service packages:
- Diagnostics and laboratories;
- Therapeutic procedures and services;#
- Prevention, screening, and diagnostics (for at-risk individuals in developing cancer);
- Augmentation for cancer medicines; and
- Other support services or indirect costs.
Currently, there are 38 CAF access sites nationwide, but this is the first in Caraga, expanding opportunities for patients in the region to avail of up to ₱150,000 worth of assistance for diagnostics and treatment.
Dir. Raki-in emphasized the urgency of establishing the CAF site in Caraga, citing the increasing number of cancer-related deaths in recent years. “This is a milestone initiative in advancing our response to the needs of our cancer patients in the region. The MOA signing assures our patients that the CAF will be readily available at their disposal,” she said.
Governor Cane expressed gratitude to DOH Caraga for piloting the program in the province. “The provincial government of Agusan del Sur will really commit to partnering with DOH in this endeavor. We will do whatever it takes and we are open to recommendations on how we can further improve healthcare in Agusan del Sur and the entire region,” he said.
The governor also underscored plans to strengthen healthcare services in hospitals located in far-flung municipalities such as Bunawan, Talacogon, Esperanza, and Loreto, reinforcing the provincial government’s commitment to inclusive and equitable public service. (NJGD, PIA Agusan del Sur with reports from the Provincial Public Information Office and PTV Agusan del Sur)
