PMA to use caution when supporting doc groups’ critical views

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Medical Association announced on Wednesday that it would exercise “extreme prudence” before releasing or supporting any statements on current issues that may be “divisive and detrimental to the organization.”

The statement was released just days after the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) released a protest letter titled “A Collective Expression of Indignation and the Call to Action” signed by more than 300 physicians, including five former Health chiefs, and 44 other health organizations.

READ: 5 ex-DOH chiefs, groups and docs decry Duterte’s attempt to derail pandemic spending probe

The protest statement called on President Rodrigo Duterte to lift the memorandum barring Cabinet officials from participating in the Senate inquiry into the alleged misuse of pandemic funds.

READ: Duterte issues memo forbidding Cabinet execs from attending Pharmally probe

“For the PMA itself to release or support any statement, the said document should reflect the sentiments of the entirety of its members,” the PMA said.

“As such, the PMA National Officers and Board of Governors exercise extreme prudence before issuing any statement especially if such may prove divisive and detrimental to the organization in general,” it added.

According to the PMA, it chooses to rise above “partisan politics” as an independent body and no individual, organization or entity can dictate it.

“The PMA cannot, and will not support as yet unproven accusations,” it said.

Despite these statements, the association urged its members to participate in finding solutions “rather than add to the country’s problems.”

“The MA encourages its members to stay informed, to be discerning, to be involved and to engage in the process of nation-building. This is not to promote passivity, but rather an appeal to physicians to participate in arriving at solutions rather than add to the country’s problems,” the association said.

It reminded its members to be “upright, diligent, sober, modest and imbued with professionalism, to work with harmony and mutual respect at all times.”

“The PMA reiterates its call for unity and for its members to continue to work together as one,” it added.

Meanwhile, Dr. Tony Leachon, one of the signers of the PCP protest statement who also confirmed that the PMA had not included itself as a co-signatory, earlier said that “there is apathy and lack of proactive measures are coming from the mother organization.”

“If they don’t recognize there is a problem and then turn a blind eye to, then you are an accomplice to perpetuating a crime, lalo na kung [ito] ang the highest organization na dapat magtanggol sa mga doktor (especially if it is the highest organization that should defend doctors),” the doctor said during the release of the protest statement.

The PMA is the largest organization of physicians in the country, with over 80,000 members and 119 Component Societies in 17 regions.

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