ABOUT

“Sagip Buhay” literally means to “save lives.”  Years of training have prepared the physician for this noble objective.  Trying times however has made this goal a formidable task.  Everyday, Filipinos whose lives can be saved by modern medicine die simply because they are indigent and incapable of affording their medication and diagnostic procedures.  The Department of Medicine rising to this challenge created a foundation to help its indigent patients.            

VISION

A partner in saving lives and training internists

MISSION

To save lives and return patients to the loving care of their families as productive members of society, served by a community of physicians, who are superiorly trained in health care and research, and distributed throughout the Philippines.

To serve as a vehicle for interaction, collaboration and coordination among donors and beneficiaries in the conduct of medical research, educational and training activities, patient care, community service and other cooperative projects

To provide life-saving medicine and finance essential diagnostic procedures for the indigent patients of the medical wards of the Philippine General Hospital through the implementation of effective quality programs in training and research.

OBJECTIVES

  • To provide indigent patients of the Department of Medicine UP-Pgh life saving drugs through procurement and distribution programs
  • To support indigent patients requiring life-saving procedures thru procurement of materials needed in such procedures as well as expenses for actual procedures
  • To provide needed laboratory examinations for diagnoses and monitoring of diseases
  • To support post hospital discharge projects and other programs (outpatient follow up)
  • To assist the residency and fellowship training programs of the Department of Medicine UP-Pgh through research grants and fellowship stipends
  • To assist in the improvement of facilities and equipments of general medical wards and medical intensive care units to benefit and improve the health and sanitation environment of our patients and health care providers

HISTORY

The Sagip Buhay Medical Foundation started out as the Sagip Buhay Drug Bank in 1995.  As part of the efforts of the Department of Medicine to provide optimum care to indigent patients, a depository of much-needed medication was made available to patients in the medical wards.  This project was initiated by the department chair, Dr. Clemente Amante and co-founded by Dr. Aileen Wang, Dr. Camilo Roa, and Dr. Rody Sy.  The foundation started from small beginnings, but the committee envisioned the project that would offer substantial financial assistance to the department of medicine.

During the year of conceptualization, the drug bank guidelines were established.  The drug bank coordinated with the Central Block Pharmacy as regards the purchasing, storage and distribution of medications.  During this time, the number of patients benefiting from Sagip Buhay continued to increase.

By 1998, the Sagip Buhay Drug Bank was providing most of the free medications to the patients from the medical wards, including 3 charity wards (1, 3 and 5); the medical and neurological ICU.  Sagip Buhay continued to receive support in the form of donations from philanthropists, organizations and pharmaceutical companies.  Apart from donations, Sagip Buhay launched several fund-raising activities – movie premieres, rummage sales and sales of Sagip Buhay greeting cards.  Thus, by the following year (1999), Sagip Buhay evolved from a simple drug bank into the Sagip Buhay Medical Foundation Inc.

As one of its flagship projects, the Sagip Buhay Medical Foundation hosted the Sagip Buhay Golf Classic.  The activity raised community awareness to the predicament of the charity patients in the medical wards and at the same time generated a significant amount of funds.  From then on, the Sagip Buhay Golf Classic became the major fundraiser of the foundation in the succeeding years.

In 2004, the Department of Medicine assisted 476 patients through the SAGIP BUHAY MEDICAL FOUNDATION, Inc.  We used P1.2 M in life saving medications and diagnostic procedures in 2004 alone. 

Donations can be made through Metrobank with details as stated below.

Account name: SAGIP BUHAY MEDICAL FOUNDATION INC.
Account number: 044-3-04466181-1

CONTACT

Look for Ms. Reah Egawa at 09171248889