Guidelines in the Management and Utilization of Medicines and Medical Supplies Donated to DSWD

June 28, 2007

DSWD ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 09-07

 

I. Rationale

In times of crisis, disasters and calamities, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is among the frontline government agencies tasked to assist local government units (LGUs),non-government organizations (NGOs),people's organizations (POs) and other stakeholders in the delivery of social welfare and development services.

In 2006 the Department assisted nearly 1 million families or 5 million persons who were victims of disaster. The Department has also served 62,597 families in crisis situations, (e.g.,children, women, older persons and persons with disabilities) thru its Crisis Intervention Units (CIUs) located at the DSWD-Central and sixteen (16) Field Offices (FOs) in the said year. 1 Services and interventions provided covers rescue, protection and provision of immediate financial, material, physical, psychosocial and legal services. HEITAD

The DSWD, as chair of the National Committee on Disaster Response (NCDR) of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) 2 and by virtue of Presidential Memorandum Order (PMO) Number 36 Series of 1992, 3 has been the recipient of both local and international donations for disasters victims and other vulnerable sectors of the society. In 2006, the DSWD received P98.43 million worth of both local and foreign donations in kind, that include medicines, medical supplies and the like. 4 The influx of donations has been a challenge to the Department to manage these donations, particularly medicines and medical supplies/equipment properly.

In line with this challenge, this policy is formulated to set guidelines in the management and equitable utilization of donated medicine and medical supplies/equipment to the DSWD.

II. Objectives

These guidelines provide the system to institutionalize the management of donated medicines, medical supplies, medical equipment and the like. Specifically, it aims to ensure:

1. Proper inventory of medicines and medical supplies/equipment;

2. Proper/appropriate warehousing and stockpiling of medicines, medical supplies and the like;

3. Appropriate, optimal and equitable utilization and/or disposition of medicines and medical supplies/equipment, and;

4. Proper accounting and reporting of donated medicines and medical supplies/equipment to the donors and the appropriate agencies.

III. Legal Bases

1. Local Government Code of 1991 (Republic Act 7160) which provides the devolution of the basic services to the LGUs and requires Local Chief Executives (LCEs) to be responsible for the efficient, effective and economical governance for the general welfare of the LGUs and their constituents.

2. Presidential Memorandum Order (PMO) Number 36, Series of 1992 authorizing the importation and donation of food, used clothing, medicines, equipment for use in the government relief and rehabilitation for calamity-affected areas, subject to the provision of the Section 105 (1) of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines.

3. Executive Order Number 16, Series of 1998 redirecting the functions operations of the DSWD and mandating it to provide assistance to LGUs, other national government agencies (NGAs),NGOs, POs and other members of the civil society in implementing programs, projects and services that will alleviate poverty and empower disadvantaged individuals, families and communities for an improved quality of life;

4. National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) Memorandum Circular Number 5, Series of 2002 on the Constitution of the NCDR under the Chairmanship of the DSWD;

5. Administrative Order Number 51, Series of 2003 on the Omnibus Guidelines and Procedures on the Maintenance and Operation of the National Resource Operations Center (NROC).

6. Administrative Order Number 53, Series of 2003 otherwise known as the Omnibus Guidelines in the Management and Processing of Donations, and; ATICcS

7. DSWD Department Order Number 75, Series of 2003 on the Amended Guidelines in the Management of DSWD-Operated CIU;

IV. Scope and Coverage

All donations of medicines, medical supplies/equipment and the like from both foreign and local sources received and released under the existing provisions of the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

V. Target Beneficiaries/Clienteles

1. Clients of (CIU);

2. Clients/Residents of DSWD Centers and Institutions;

3. Clients of other government hospitals and institutions, LGUs, NGOs, POs, and other members of society, and;

4. DSWD-Central Office (CO) and Field Office (FO) employees and their dependents.

VI. Institutional Functions

1. Office of the Assistant Secretary/Coach Monitor for DSWD-ARMM (OASCMA)

1.1 Supervise the over-all management of donated medicines and medical supplies in close coordination with the Administrative Service (AS);

1.2 Coordinate with the Bureau of Food and Drugs-Department of Health (BFAD-DOH) for purposes of assuring the quality of medicines and its fitness for human consumption/utilization for safety of the users;

1.3 Conduct a weekly stock inventory of all medicines, medical supplies/equipment at the CO warehouses/stockroom;

1.4 Assess requests from DSWD-FOs for centers and institutions, CIU, employees and their dependents, government hospitals and other government entities/institutions/organizations and recommend release of medicines and/or medical supplies to the Office of the Secretary (OSEC);

1.5 Prepares requisition and issue slips (RIS) for all requests for the approval of the Office of the Secretary (OSEC);

1.6 Coordinate with the FOs for the monitoring of medicines and medical supplies/equipment released to requesting parties/organizations/groups (e.g.,medical/dental missions, charity works, etc.) in their respective areas of jurisdictions;

1.7 Monitor and requires submission of liquidation/utilization reports from FOs, government entities/institutions, NGOs and other private organization, and;

1.8 Submit to the OSEC a monthly report on the inventory and utilization/distribution of medicines and medical supplies/equipment at the CO warehouse/stockroom.

2. Administrative Service (AS)

2.1 Facilitate receipt and hauling/transport of donated medicines from donors; TIADCc

2.2 Turnover received medicines and medical supplies/equipment to the OASCMA;

2.3 Provide and maintain a warehouse/stockroom at the CO for the medicines and medical supplies/equipment and assist in the stockpiling (e.g.,classification, generic/brand, formulation, dosage, expiration dates, quantity, etc.);

2.4 Ensure that all medicines and medical supplies/equipment bear the DSWD logo and a mark that it is "Not for Sale",as much as practicable;

2.5 Coordinate with the DSWD Valuation Committee on the monetization of unvalued donations, and;

2.6 Assist in the hauling/transport of medicines and medical supplies to the beneficiaries.

3. Program Management Bureau (PMB)

3.1 Conduct assessment and evaluation thru the CIU on the case of walk-in/referred clients needing medicines and medical supplies/equipment;

3.2 Recommend to the OASCMA thru the CIU provision of medicines and/or medical supplies for walk-in/referred clients;

3.3 Assist and coordinate with the OASCMA and with the Administrative Service (AS) for the receipt, facilitation, justification and approval of clearance with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) of donations from local sources and foreign donors covered under PMO 36, Series of 1992;

3.4 Assess requests and recommend release of medicines and/or medical supplies to the OASCMA from private entities/institutions/organizations (e.g.,NGOs, hospitals, charity groups, POs) in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH) and other concerned regulatory government agencies, and;

3.5 Provide funding for all expenditures relative to the processing and management of the donations.

4. DSWD-CO Clinic Physician

4.1 Conduct assessment and evaluation of requests of DSWD employees and their dependents for medicines and/or medical supplies, and;

4.2 Recommend to the OASCMA required medicines and/or medical supplies for approval by the OSEC.

5. DSWD-Field Offices (FOs)

5.1 Monitor the actual distribution/utilization of medicines and medical supplies during medical/dental missions and other charity works;

5.2 Submit to the OASCMA a quarterly report on the actual distribution/utilization of medicines and medical supplies/equipment released to the FOs for centers and institutions, CIU and employees and their dependents, and; AIDSTE

5.3 Requires submission of liquidation/utilization reports from NGAs, NGOs and other private organizations/entities a month after the conduct of medical/dental mission incorporating issues and concerns in the distribution/utilization.

VII. Flow Chart on the Management and Distribution/Utilization of Medicines and Medical Supplies/Equipment

Description of Flow Chart

1. The OSEC as the approving office on requests and the OASCMA as the recommendatory and lead office in the overall management of medicines, medical supplies and the likes;

2. The PMB coordinates and assists the AS and the OASCMA in the receipt and facilitation of donations with the donors and the justification and approval of clearance from the BOC. It also recommends requests from CIU walk-in clients and from private entities/institutions/organizations in coordination with the DOH and other concerned regulatory government agencies;

3. The AS coordinates and assist the OASCMA in the management of the medicines, medical supplies, specifically in the operation and maintenance of the warehouse/stockroom;

4. The requesting private entities/institutions/organizations submit request to the PMB for assessment and recommendation for approval to the OASCMA;

5. The OASCMA assess and recommends approval of requests from the DSWD-CO clinic physician, DSWD-FOs and government entities/institutions/organization;

6. The FOs monitor the distribution/utilization of medicines and medical supplies released to private and government entities/institutions/organizations during medical/dental missions and other charity works in their area of jurisdictions and submit report to the OASCMA on the actual distribution/utilization, to include those released to the FOs for centers and institutions, CIU and employees and their dependents, incorporating issues and concerns in the distribution/utilization, and;

7. The DSWD-CO clinic physician submits report to the OASCMA on the actual distribution/utilization of medicines and medical supplies to DSWD employees and their dependents.

VIII. Required Supporting Documents for Requests for Medicines and Medical Supplies/Equipment

1. CIU Clients

1.1 Case study report from the CIU-Social Worker, and;

1.2 Original copies of the medical certificate and prescriptions issued by the attending physicians to be filed by the OASCMA for accounting and auditing purposes. AaCTcI

2. DSWD Central Office (CO) Employees and Dependents

2.1 Original copies of the medical certificate and prescriptions issued by the attending physicians.

3. DSWD-FOs, Government Hospitals Centers and Institutions, Private and Public Centers and Institutions and other Partners

3.1 Letter of request with the distribution plan indicating the following:

a. Activity/program (e.g.,medical/dental mission/outreach, community health services, charity works, etc.);

b. Target areas;

c. Target date;

d. Target number of beneficiaries/recipients by sector (e.g.,pediatric, geriatric, women, etc.),and;

e. List and quantity of requested medicines and/or medical supplies.

3.2 Liquidation/distribution reports on previous assistance extended by the DSWD within one (1) month after the culmination of the activity. Failure to provide a liquidation/distribution report will serve as grounds for not approving subsequent releases.

IX. Effectivity

This Administrative Order (AO) shall take effect this 28th day of June 2007 and revokes previous Orders contrary to it.

(SGD.) DR. ESPERANZA I. CABRALSecretary, DSWD

Footnotes

1. 2006 Crisis Intervention Unit (CIU) Accomplishment Report.

2. NDCC Memorandum Circular Number 5, Series as 2006, Constitution of the National Committee on Disaster Response (NCDR).

3. Authorizing the importation and donation of food, used clothing, medicines, equipment for use in the government relief and rehabilitation for calamity-affected areas, subject to the provision of the Section 105 (1) of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines.

4. 2006 Consolidated Report on Donations, National Resource Operations Center (NROC).