Government threatening private hospitals lacking manpower with closure – PHAPI

MANILA, Philippines — Private hospitals lacking manpower are now being threatened with closure by the government, an association of private hospitals said.

Dr. Jose De Grano, president of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI), cited the case in Cagayan Valley where two private hospitals are reportedly in danger of being shut down if they will not be able to produce enough hospital staff.

In a letter dated Aug. 25, 2022, the Cagayan Valley Center for Health Development (CHD) informed concerned hospital administrators that they were given a deadline “to comply with the required number of manpower for your Level 1 hospital” and “failure to do so will affect the renewal of license to operate of your facility.”

Further, the CHD, which is under the Department of Health, said, “Under Section IV.A.3 of Administrative Order No. 2007-0022 otherwise known as ‘Violations under One-Stop-Shop Licensure System for Hospitals,’ non-compliance with licensing standards and requirements for manpower and physical plant shall be considered immediately as violation.”

In a text message, De Grano lamented, “Is this the way they want to treat these hospitals after helping and supporting them during the pandemic? There should be some leniency during this time that we are trying to recover from the effects of the pandemic. Our members are complaining that they are using these issues of lack of manpower to eventually close the hospitals.”

He said, “If ever this has to be done really, if we follow the law, then those administrative orders should be applied not only to private hospitals but to public hospitals also.”

“We have always been treated in a double standard way of application of the different administrative orders and circulars,” De Grano added.

He likewise said, “Government hospitals can offer these nurses higher wages because they are subsidized by government and they have budget, while private hospitals rely on their admissions and the provision of services for their sustenance.”

Meanwhile, doctors and health workers from different hospitals yesterday held a protest march from the Philippine General Hospital to the Department of Justice (DOJ) in Manila in commemoration of National Heroes Day, as they decried red-tagging and attacks among their ranks.

In a statement, Dr. Magdalena Barcelon, an officer of Community Medicine Practitioners and Advocates Association, said, “We pledge to serve and save lives. Yet, many of our colleagues are being harassed and red- or terrorist-tagged. Some have been killed. We need protection. Red-tagging and attacks must stop!”

She added, “How can we encourage our doctors and health workers to serve here in the country if the salaries and benefits they receive are not enough? At the same time, they are being red-tagged while others are killed.”