Lip service vs real medicine

When it became obvious that there would be no stopping the hearings and Supreme Court inquiry regarding the PhilHealth fund transfers, President Bongbong Marcos issued statements calling his appointees to make sure that PhilHealth continues to deliver on its commitments.

But when compared to the grim reality being experienced by Filipinos fighting ailments, diseases and undergoing surgeries, PBBM’s orders end up being nothing more than lip service. It also reveals that PBBM is not well-versed in the many shortcomings of the PhilHealth.

During the recent deliberations of the Supreme Court in Baguio City, Associate Justice Jhosep Lopez shared his personal struggle with cancer and, like several of my friends, he too ended up paying approximately P7 million for the major procedures, not including follow up treatments, etc. PhilHealth only covered P50,000.

Most cancer patients have no choice but to go to very expensive private hospitals where the protocol nowadays is that you are assigned an entire team of specialists to manage and work on your cancer. All that puts you on a very expensive level of treatment that many cannot afford.

The problem is going to a public hospital is more of an act of desperation rather than a logical economic choice. Doctors in public hospitals are probably better trained and have more experience or are the very same doctors available in private hospitals.

The major difference is usually in terms of facilities or, specifically, working equipment. I was recently shocked to find out that so many public hospitals in Metro Manila have vital equipment that are not working or are expensive “white elephants” serving no purpose.

Last Wednesday, a friend offered to sell some stuff to me, and I realized that he was once again raising funds (P60,000) for his cancer-stricken daughter who now needs a PET scan. Just like before, we talked about options and hospitals where the procedure would surely be cheaper.

Every hospital I suggested was like a falling domino piece because he would say “Sira daw” or “Hindi umaandar.” The NKTI had a working scanner but only for kidney patients! Other hospitals had new machines that still needed to be commissioned. He literally had done the rounds and told me: “Na ikot ko na lahat ng ospital na may PET scan.”

My friend had obviously done the work and his only remedy is to ask help from Congressman Roman Romulo, who has faithfully helped his fellow Pasigueños through the years. That, however, is limited by rules to P10,000 only. So, the balance remains at P50,000.

While the friends and neighbors will do the usual bayanihan, I’m glad to be reminded of how the national government, Congress, the Senate and the DOH have failed Filipinos by simply not ensuring that critical and high value hospital equipment are maintained and increased. We simply cannot ignore this “sin” of government!

Instead of attending organized and sterilized events in public hospitals or meetings inside Malacañang Palace, PBBM should order COA and request the Philippine Medical Association to audit hospitals in terms of day-to-day operations and functioning equipment.

The COA as well as the DOH have people and teams in every public hospital who can do a very quick check of the available vital equipment, which ones are not working, are due for servicing, repair and are “UNFUNDED.” The DOH can do likewise with all regional hospitals, which tops the list of deficiencies.

The failure to properly maintain, schedule and provide funds for maintenance has been a mortal sin of the Philippine government for so many decades. Our railways became extinct, our roads never last several years, billions of pesos worth of hospital and security equipment are destroyed by willful omission to ensure the next bidding.

The government or PBBM should also put a stop to the practice where equipment must be deemed unserviceable or beyond repair before new ones can be purchased or bid out. More progressive medical directors are now including the maintenance and immediate replacement of equipment that break down.

I recently suggested in a hospital management meeting that two sets of machines and two sets of air conditioners should be installed in the same room so that if one breaks down, procedures can go on. Alternating use of the equipment also reduces wear and tear, while two aircons provide constant cooling if one fails.

I was told by a friend that Speaker Martin Romualdez has taken an interest in addressing deficiencies in public health facilities. Might I suggest to the Speaker that instead of GLs or Guarantee Letters from congressmen, all that money and more should be concentrated on setting up laboratory and treatment centers nationwide.

Members of Congress should be required to study and investigate the financial or economic impact on families with a member undergoing dialysis, chemotherapy, stroke, etc. My friend retired several years back, believing his children will be able to support themselves, then his daughter gets cancer in a bad way. Multiply that story by thousands and thousands of times.

Take out the politics, dependency and “utang na loob” culture that does not contribute to better health. Give Filipinos access to immediate treatments and lab works without having to sell jewelry, vehicles or their homes in order to fight a battle that can go either way.

PBBM and Speaker Romualdez should seriously study how much money can be saved by government and every Filipino if Congress were to institutionalize mandatory maintenance for all equipment bought by government.

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