Closure of Manila’s City Hospitals Will Hurt the Poor

PRESS STATEMENT

July 19, 2013

Reference:

Mr. Jossel I. Ebesate

National President, AHW

Mobile No: 09189276381 

We, health workers in different hospitals under the Alliance of Health Workers, oppose the plan of Mayor Joseph Estrada to close some city hospitals “to lower government expenses and save money.”

The idea to close city hospitals as expressed two Fridays ago (July 5) by the mayor of Manila,  is cruel and heartless. This will negatively affect many poor patients in Manila who rely on these hospitals for services. The six city hospitals, namely Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center, Ospital ng Maynila, Ospital ng Sampaloc, Ospital ng Tondo, Sta. Ana Hospital, and Justice Abad Santos Mother and Child Hospital serve those who cannot afford expensive private health services. Ospital ng Maynila, for instance,  serves more than a thousand out-patients per day and accommodates more than 300 in-patients during peak seasons even if its bed capacity is only 300.

If any of this city hospitals will be closed, residents who usually lacks or even have no means to provide for their basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter  would further delay or worst stop seeking treatment.  This may spell the difference between life and death for most patients.

Closing any of the city hospitals would further add up to the long queue and overcrowding in public hospitals under the national government in the city such as the Philippine General Hospital, Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital and San Lazaro Hospital.

This dismal situation in terms of funding, staffing and infrastructure of public hospitals is brought about by the continuing neglect and misprioritization by the national government in the national budget.  Instead of addressing the grave lack of funds, the national government devolved and privatized health services to the detriment of the public.

Public hospitals are built primarily to serve the public.  The government, both at the national and local level, is duty-bound to ensure that free, affordable, and accessible public health services are provided to the people. Public hospitals should be improved and developed by the government to better serve the people.

Adequate funding, not closure, will make our public hospitals more relevant and responsive to the needs of the people. Unless the national  or the local government has the political will to really serve the people through adequate, free, affordable and accessible health services, health for all will remain as it is - a dream.#