FREE MORPHINE FOR INDIGENT CANCER PATIENTS
Pain management is one of the most important aspects of health care especially for those with chronic or terminal illnesses yet scores of Filipino patients are suffering from pain unnecessarily due to lack of accessibility and availability of opioid medicines such as morphine.
Although eliminating pain is clinically possible as there are a number of safe and effective methods that treat pain such as opioid analgesics (i.e. morphine), it is often left untreated because access to these controlled medications is a problem for many. Impediments in regulation, procurement, and knowledge and attitude on opioids often pose obstacles in the adequate use of these drugs for medical purposes.
The Technical Working Group (TWG) for the Accessibility and Availability of Opioid for Pain and Palliative Care is a multidisciplinary, multisectoral group that facilitates and advocates for policies that improve accessibility and availability of opioid analgesics for pain and palliative care in the country created in April 2008. With the primary objective of breaking the barriers and other misconceptions about opioids, and in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) and other partner agencies, the TWG has initiated and implemented activities for opioid accessibility and availability in the past years.
The DOH procured an estimated P10 million worth of morphine at the end of 2008. These drugs were then turned over to selected government hospitals and hospices in Metro Manila in February 2009 to be used by indigent patients suffering from pain. The drugs were distributed to at least 10 DOH hospitals by July 2009, and were increased to 16 DOH hospitals by September 2009. At the start of 2010, the morphine tablets are available in the following hospitals/institutions:
| REGION | No | HOSPITAL | AREA |
| NCR | 1 | Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center |
Sta. Cruz, Manila |
| 2 | Rizal Medical Center | Pasig City | |
| 3 | East Avenue Medical Center | East Ave., Quezon City | |
| 4 | UP -Philippine General Hospital | Taft Avenue, Manila | |
| 5 | Quirino Memorial Medical Center | Project 4, Quezon City | |
| CAR | 6 | Baguio General Hospital & Medical Center | Baguio City |
| Region 1 | 7 | Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital | Ilocos Norte |
| 8 | Batanes General Hospital | Basco, Batanes | |
| Region 2 | 9 | Cagayan Valley Medical Center | Tuguegarao City |
| 10 | Veterans Memorial Hospital | Nueva Viscaya | |
| Region 3 | 11 | Jose B. Lingad General Hospital | San Fernando, Pampanga |
| 12 | Dr. Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center | Cabanatuan City | |
| Region 4A | 13 | Madre de Amor Hospice Foundation c/o Healthserve Los Baños, Inc. | Laguna |
| 14 | Batangas Regional Hospital | Batangas City | |
| Region 4B | 15 | Ospital ng Palawan | Puerto Prinsesa City |
| Region 5 | 16 | Bicol Regional Training & Teaching Hospital | Albay |
| Region 6 | 17 | Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital | Bacolod City |
| 18 | Western Visayas Medical Center | Iloilo City | |
| Region 7 | 19 | Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital | Bohol |
| 20 | Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center | Cebu City | |
| Region 8 | 21 | Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center | Tacloban City |
| Region 9 | 22 | Zamboanga City Medical Center | Zamboanga City |
| Region 10 | 23 | Northern Mindanao Medical Center | Cagayan de Oro |
| 24 | Hilarion Ramiro Memorial Hospital | Ozamis City | |
| Region 11 | 25 | Davao Medical Center | Davao City |
| 26 | Davao Regional Hospital | Davao City | |
| Region 12 | 27 | Cotabato Regional & Medical Center | SOCCSKSARGEN |
| CARAGA | 28 | CARAGA Regional Hospital | Surigao City |
Summary of Distribution: DOH Hospitals - 26
Other Government Hospitals - 1
NGO - 1
Total - 28