Groups ask SC to stop Orthopedic Center privatization

The Supreme Court on Monday was asked to stop the P5.6-billion Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC) privatization for supposedly violating the constitutional right to health care and equitable access to health services.

 

In a 62-page petition, a group of indigent patients, POC employees, health professionals, concerned citizens and progressive legislators opposed the "Modernization of the Philippine Orthopedic Center" project under the public-private partnership scheme of the Aquino administration.

 

“The bleeding and injured destitute patients in representation of themselves and in representation of all others to be similarly situated come now to the Court because they are being rushed to the emergency or operating room for profit by those who should be taking care of themselves in the first place," said said Edre Olalia, secretary-general and head of the legal team from the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers (NUPL).

 

"They will be bled dry for commercial fees due to privatized health care service by forces preying on their miserable conditions, ” he added.

 

The petitioners asked the high court to issue a temporary restraining order or a writ of preliminary injunction to stop the privatization program from being implemented.

 

The petitioners feared other government hospitals might end up eventually being privatized as well in case the POC project – awarded to the giant Megawide Construction Corp. and World Citi Consortium – pushes through.

 

“Should this happen this first time with the POC, then all the rest of the government hospitals or public health facilities and services all over the country will follow this route and the health of the people and their basic right to it and access to health services will be bludgeoned to smithereens. It would spell the death knell by adding insult to injury, as it were,” said Olalia.

 

The hospital operates on retainership by the Department of Health (DOH), and serves as the only Philippine hospital specializing in orthopedic disorders including cases of spinal injuries.

 

The petitioners said current POC employees risk losing their jobs under the privatization program, since those who wish to stay at POC are not assured if they will be absorbed, while those who wants to stay in government service will have to transfer to another DOH hospital.

 

Under the multibillion-peso project,  the “modernized” POC is allowed to allocate only 70 beds for service (indigent) patients and 420 for sponsored (PhilHealth) patients – compared with the 562 beds or 85 percent of capacity for indigent patients now in practice, the petitioners noted.

 

The new management would have an option not to accommodate non-paying patients if the 70 beds are already occupied, said the petitioners.

 

“If one thinks that health can be exchanged for wealth, this Petition does not deserve the courts’ precious attention. But if one believes that wealth must be subordinated to health, especially of the dying destitutes… then this Petition and what it is fighting for deserve more days in this Court," the petitioners said.

 

Government is responsible to provide and ensure affordable health services for the people, they noted.

 

“Such duty should not be relinquished to a private entity through privatization or commercialization of a government hospital to the prejudice of the poor and underprivileged,” they said.

 

"This is a challenge for the court to shoot down neo-liberal programs which will only worsen the already inept and ineffective health care system in the country," they added.

 

Among the petitioners are doctors and nurses from the Network Opposed to Privatization of Public Hospitals and Health Services, Council for Health and Development, Nars ng Bayan Community Health Nurses' Association, Alliance of Health Workers, Health Alliance for Human Rights, People’s Health Movement; Community Medicine Practitioners and Advocates Association; Head Alliance for Democracy; leaders of citizens’ groups Makabayan, Gabriela, Kalipunan ng Damayan ng Mahihirap , Kilusang Mayo Uno; as well as Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares and Rep. Carlos Zarate of Bayan Muna and Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon. – VS, GMA News