ADVOCACY. Advocacy center Chooselife Pharmacy and Clinic offers free medicine in the style of community pantries, giving away free medicine for people with neurological and mental health problems in Baguio City. The center opened in 2021 following an increase in the cases of suicide and mental health problems in the city. (PNA photo from the FB of Chooselife)
BAGUIO CITY – A pharmacy and clinic patterned after the “community pantry” that became popular at the height of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic last year has opened in the central business district, catering to individuals with mental health problems.
Operated by Chooselife Pharmacy and Clinic, the facility is the mental health clinic in charge at the Baguio City Health Services Office.
“Chooselife Pharmacy and Clinic aims to give free medications para sa mga tao na nag-gagamot (to the people taking medications) for neurologic and mental conditions," said Chooselife founder Ricky Ducas in an interview on Wednesday.
Fashioned after community pantries, the pharmacy offers free medicines that have been donated and are listed on the advocacy group's social media page.
“I call it a community pharmacy and clinic. Like for example, sa mga bahay natin may mga gamot na hindi tayo nagagamit, or may mga gamot na hindi na natin kailangan at hindi naman expired at okay naman ang condition niya (In our houses, we have medicines that we do not need anymore and they are unexpired and are in good condition), they can deposit it sa atin sa (with us at the) pharmacy and the pharmacy will post on FB and people with low income can get it for free,” he said.
Ducas said people can get any amount of medicines provided they shell out a PHP10 storage fee, which is also used to provide free health and medical services to the public.
“It doesn’t matter kung ilang gamot ang kukunin niya. PHP10 lang ido-donate niya (how much medicine they take. They will just have to donate PHP10),” he said.
Ducas said Chooselife also has partners who offer psychiatric services at discounted rates.
“We want to tell the public that it is not expensive to seek medical help for mental health problems. Ayaw sana namin na magkaroon ng stigma na ang mental health consultation is mahal, mahal magpa check sa psychiatrist, kasi mayroong mga doctors who are supporting our advocacy (We do not want to create the stigma that mental health and psychiatric check-up is expensive because we have doctors who are supporting our advocacy),” Ducas said.
Aside from the clinic and the pharmacy, Chooselife also conducts personal monitoring of uric acid, blood sugar, and Blood pressure every weekend for free in front of the pharmacy located below the Baguio City Hall compound.
Before converting it into a community pharmacy, the clinic opened in 2021 to make services for those suffering from mental health more accessible and offer cheaper medicines.
Ducas said that the city recorded around 30 suicide cases each in 2020 and 2021.
Ducas, a registered nurse with a doctorate degree in nursing and handles the mental health advocacy clinic of the city government, said they receive about five calls a day and about 20 messages from different individuals seeking help.
He said their records shows most of those who suffered and continue to suffer from mental health problems belong to the young working-age bracket of 23 to 33 years old, and as young as 15 years old. (PNA)
