MANILA -Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) on Saturday lauded President Rodrigo Duterte for allocating earnings of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) to healthcare delivery in the country.
“We are expressing hope na ang mga pronouncements ni Pangulong duterte ay mag-luluwal ng meaningful change sa health care delivery system. It is a positive development na ilalaan nya ang pera ng PAGCOR sa health,” said Sean Herbert Velchez, AHW spokesperson.
Velchez, a registered nurse, said that they were happy to hear that Duterte included health as one of his priority agenda and is making true to his promise that he made during the campaign period.
He added that new Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Dr. Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial should come-out with a clear stand regarding people’s right to health to ensure that no form of corporatization or privatization of healthcare will push through under her leadership as Health Secretary.
“Hinahamon namin si Sec. Ubial to stand for the people’s right to health and to trash all form of privatization of health care,” he said.
He suggested that it would be good if Ubial take a random visit on hospitals of the government to have clearer picture of the conditions of the hospitals and its patients before deciding for any ‘corporatization’ moves.
“Kung galing siya sa public health alam niya na kalunos-lunos ang mga ospital sa ilalim ng Local Government Units (LGUs). Ang ibang LGU kulang ang mga ospital kaya hindi maiwasan na pupunta ang mga maraming pasyente sa mga Regional Hospitals under DOH kahit simpleng panganganak,” he said.
He added that such was the reason why Fabella Hospital in Manila was being preferred to by many mothers and families who have limited budget in giving birth or could not afford the cost in lying in clinics.
He further said that corporatization was something being feared because it could lead to greater burden on the part of the patients and only those who could afford could pay the resulting high cost of health services.
Under the administration of former President Benigno S. Aquino III, public-private partnership (PPP) in hospitals was planned.
However, it failed to push through since former DOH Secretary Janette L. Garin discussed with the former President its impact to the poor
As a result then, the privatization of Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC) and Philippine Children Medical Center was halted.
The fear on privatization of Fabella was also allayed by the Health Secretary before she stepped down as she made it clear that she wanted to be remembered as Secretary of Health who exerted effort in controlling the privatization of government hospitals.
Garin even said in the last presscon she had in DOH media relations unit (June 30) that if there were “PPP projects” that should push through, that should never include the government hospitals but only on other areas that can directly benefit the people such as improvement of water system and the likes which obviously is affecting the lives and health of the people./PNA/RMA/Leilani S. Junio