Privatization of Public Hospitals: Cause of Agony of the People and Health Workers

Press Release

March 20, 2013

References:

Mr.  Jossel I. Ebesate, President Alliance of Health Workers: Mobile Number: 09189276381

Mr. Sean Velchez, President NOHWU-AHW, Mobile Number: 09067360468

Hundreds of health workers, urban poor communities, community health workers and patients join in the protest march today against the callous moves of the government to privatize public hospitals despite of the people’s opposition.

Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC), only one national tertiary hospital specializing in bone and trauma cases is the pilot hospital to be privatized in the form of public-private partnership and build-operate-transfer. January 25, 2013, the Department of Health has opened for bidding to private investors. March 26 is the deadline for qualified bidders, April will be the evaluation and the awarding for the winner bidder will be by May.

The protesters strongly oppose the sale plan which will deprive majority of the people where 80% - 90% of the patients are receiving free services. The hospital services 450-500 patients in the out-patient department daily. Casting are usually free and prosthesis are much cheaper than most sources. The proposed modern 700 bed tertiary orthopedic hospital will be built and run by private business. Thus, all services in both old and new hospitals will become for profits. The protesters’ questions are, “Why does the Aquino government open public hospitals for private foreign and local investors at the expense of the people’s welfare? Why does it allow the people’s right to health to become a commodity for profit?  Where will the poor patients go?”

Jossel Ebesate,  AHW President also declared, “Pnoy’s sale of the Orthopedic Center does not only show his lack of concern for people’s right to health, it showed his subservience to the interest of big local business and foreign capitalists. If the private investors are bent on operating such kind of hospital, ostensibly to "help", let them build a private hospital, but leave the public Orthopedic Center alone. Then the public will have options for a public or a private hospital and poor patients will not be deprived of public health services. President Aquino instead, should put additional budget on public hospitals!”

Added Sean Velchez, President of Philippine Orthopedic Center Health Workers’ Union – AHW  questioned the government’s heartless plan for the hospital, “ Does the President know that annual  10,000  inpatients and 140,000 patients  at the outpatient department will be deprived of services once private investors are involved in the financing and management of the hospital? What will happen to us, 1,101 health care givers? Clearly, the government treats health care services and health workers as commodities for profit.”

The sale of Orthopedic Center is a prelude to the sale of other government hospitals. Even the controversial land of the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) is up for public-private partnership or privatization. RITM and San Lazaro Hospital, among other public hospitals are rolled up for PPP/privatization.

We, health workers, call on the public to join us in the protest to privatize our public hospitals. Let us fight for our right to health. ###