House panel moves to neutralize threats of privatizing government hospitals
Published Mar 24, 2018 05:12 pm
By Ben Rosario
The House committee on health has moved to neutralize threats of privatizing government hospitals when it unanimously endorsed a bill prohibiting the privatization and corporitization of specialized and regular government hospitals and public health facilities.
(Ali Vicoy / MANILA BULLETIN)
The House panel endorsed the passage of House Bill 7437, which consolidated three different legislative proposals aimed at shooting down moves in the government to either sell or transform into corporations several hospitals run by the Department of Health.
HB 7437 also contains provisions that would grant poor patients a guarantee of better access to quality healthcare in public hospitals, public health facilities and public health services.
It will be recalled that past government administrations have been contemplating to privatize specialized hospitals based in Quezon City such as the Philippine Heart Center, Philippine Children’s Hospital and the Lung Center of the Philippines.
A wave of public criticisms slowed down the privatization move which reportedly has yet to be eliminated from the health agenda of the DOH.
Authors of the bill include Representatives Gus S. Tambunting (PDP-Laban, Parañaque City); Lito Atienza (Buhay Partylist) and members of the Makabayan bloc led by Representatives Carlos Isagani Zarate (Bayan Muna) and Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers Partylist).
HG 7437 imposes a prohibition in the privatization of all government hospitals and bars the Secretary of Health or any person to “initiate, c ause and approve the privatization” of government medical centers and health services.
The bill also mandates the allocation of 90 percent of the total bed capacity of all public hospitals to poor or service patients.
Persons who initiate the privatization of any public hospitals or fails to reserve the required bed allocation for poor patients face a graduated fine of P100,000 for the first offense up to P500,000 for the succeeding offenses.
Tambunting strongly opposed the privatization bid saying that as soon as specialized hospitals become government corporations, medical care will come “at a hefty price.”
“The poorest of the poor would no longer be able to access these hospitals for they will not be able to afford the cost of treatment,” Tambunting stressed.
He added: “These hospitals should remain under the charge of the government so that equal access to quality healthcare will be assured.”
In filing HB 3491, Atienza assailed proposals to privatize the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, popularly known as the “Paanakan ng Bayan’, which attends to the medical needs of many poor patients, particularly expectant mothers.
Privatizing this institution would deprive these patients, mostly mothers, of quality treatment and care at very affordable cost,” noted Atienza, a former Manila mayor.
He said: “Instead of privatizing these hospitals, government should provide funds for the immediate rehabilitation, upgrading and hiring of competent health professionals to ensure quality healthcare for the public.”
Atienza stressed that it is the State’s responsibility to ensure the protection and well-being of its citizens, primary of which is the provisions of primary healthcare.”
(Ali Vicoy / MANILA BULLETIN)
The House panel endorsed the passage of House Bill 7437, which consolidated three different legislative proposals aimed at shooting down moves in the government to either sell or transform into corporations several hospitals run by the Department of Health.
HB 7437 also contains provisions that would grant poor patients a guarantee of better access to quality healthcare in public hospitals, public health facilities and public health services.
It will be recalled that past government administrations have been contemplating to privatize specialized hospitals based in Quezon City such as the Philippine Heart Center, Philippine Children’s Hospital and the Lung Center of the Philippines.
A wave of public criticisms slowed down the privatization move which reportedly has yet to be eliminated from the health agenda of the DOH.
Authors of the bill include Representatives Gus S. Tambunting (PDP-Laban, Parañaque City); Lito Atienza (Buhay Partylist) and members of the Makabayan bloc led by Representatives Carlos Isagani Zarate (Bayan Muna) and Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers Partylist).
HG 7437 imposes a prohibition in the privatization of all government hospitals and bars the Secretary of Health or any person to “initiate, c ause and approve the privatization” of government medical centers and health services.
The bill also mandates the allocation of 90 percent of the total bed capacity of all public hospitals to poor or service patients.
Persons who initiate the privatization of any public hospitals or fails to reserve the required bed allocation for poor patients face a graduated fine of P100,000 for the first offense up to P500,000 for the succeeding offenses.
Tambunting strongly opposed the privatization bid saying that as soon as specialized hospitals become government corporations, medical care will come “at a hefty price.”
“The poorest of the poor would no longer be able to access these hospitals for they will not be able to afford the cost of treatment,” Tambunting stressed.
He added: “These hospitals should remain under the charge of the government so that equal access to quality healthcare will be assured.”
In filing HB 3491, Atienza assailed proposals to privatize the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, popularly known as the “Paanakan ng Bayan’, which attends to the medical needs of many poor patients, particularly expectant mothers.
Privatizing this institution would deprive these patients, mostly mothers, of quality treatment and care at very affordable cost,” noted Atienza, a former Manila mayor.
He said: “Instead of privatizing these hospitals, government should provide funds for the immediate rehabilitation, upgrading and hiring of competent health professionals to ensure quality healthcare for the public.”
Atienza stressed that it is the State’s responsibility to ensure the protection and well-being of its citizens, primary of which is the provisions of primary healthcare.”