Groups warn of health crisis

MANILA, Philippines – Five groups yesterday claimed there is a “health crisis” in the Philippines given the cuts in the budget for health, understaffing of nurses and resurgence of infectious disease.?

At a press conference, the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW), Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD), All University of the Philippines Workers Union-Manila, Coalition for People’s Right to Health (CPRH) and Filipino Nurses United said those conditions are part of the “symptoms” indicating the health care system is in a “crisis situation.”?

They also dared President Duterte to experience for himself how it is to be a patient in a government hospital.?

“We challenge the President to go to a government hospital for his medical needs without special treatment. This way, he will see for himself the very bad situation that the patients and workers endure,” noted CPRH co-convenor Julie Caguiat.?

Cristy Donguines, president of the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center Employees Union-AHW, also challenged Duterte to allow his partner Honeylet Avanceña to work in a government hospital.?

“We’ve been asking for a small increase in our salaries but nothing happens. Your wife is a nurse, right? Why don’t you let her work in a public hospital and let’s see how she will find the situation there,” she said.

HEAD secretary general Albert Pascual, meanwhile, described the Universal Health Care (UHC) law as a “deceiving measure because it entails an increase in the premium payment” for the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. or PhilHealth.

He believes that implementing the UHC is not the answer to the “dire situation in the public health sector” as he cautioned that it would only benefit private hospitals, which reportedly earn more from PhilHealth subsidies.?

Pascual said the UHC is doomed to fail primarily because its implementation lies with PhilHealth, which is beset by reports of corruption.

“We believe that the budget for health should be given directly to hospitals as they are the ones that know what their patients need, not PhilHealth,” he added.