Privatizing ortho hospital hit, hailed

POC as it now stands in Sta. Mesa Heights, Quezon City photo: ppp.gov.ph

Groups opposed to the privatization of the Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC) warned that the move, while modernizing the state-run hospital, could mean the end of free services to some 140,000 indigent patients treated there each year.

In a press conference on Thursday, the Coalition Against POC’s Privatization cited as an example the fate awaiting a 50-year-old patient with a cervical spine injury who has been enjoying free health services at the facility in Sta. Mesa Heights, Quezon City, for the last 18 years.

The coalition’s head convenor Sean Velchez said “(we are) not against the modernization of the hospital but this coalition is against its privatization because it will deprive poor Filipinos of free and accessible health care.”

Another coalition member, Sister Consuelo Varela of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, said “our poor countrymen will suffer once (POC) is privatized since this is the only public hospital for bone diseases and trauma.”

The POC is the first state medical facility up for bidding under the Aquino administration’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program. According to www.ppp.gov.ph, the project involves the construction of a 700-bed capacity super-specialty tertiary orthopedic hospital within the National Kidney and Transplant Institute compound on East Avenue, Quezon City.

The concessionaire will design, build, finance, operate and maintain the facility until the end of the 25-year concession period and then transfer the hospital to the Department of Health (DOH). Project cost was estimated at P5.7 billion.

According to the coalition, nine companies have expressed interest in the project: Metro Pacific Investments Corp.; GE Electric Philippines Inc.; Sta. Clara International Corp; Mount Grace Hospital Ventures; Megawide Engineering Excellence; Philips Electronic and Lighting Inc.; Siemens Inc.-Health Sector; Strategic Alliance Holdings Inc., and Nihon Sekkei Inc.-Data Trail Corp.

‘Fears unfounded’

Reached for comment, Assistant Health Secretary Enrique Tayag maintained that the POC would remain a “government” hospital since the Aquino administration is just entering into a PPP agreement with the private sector to upgrade the facility.

“It is not being sold. The government is just joining hands with the private sector,” Tayag said in an interview. “This is synergy. We understand their fears but these are unfounded.”

Asked whether the free services for indigents would no longer be available, Tayag said the government was intensifying the distribution of PhilHealth cards so that such patients would be covered and that the new POC would still be subsidized by the government.

Also, he said, the hospital staff should not be afraid of losing their jobs, especially if they are “performing very well.”

“They have nothing to be afraid of because, of course, there will be performance evaluations. Maybe those who are afraid are not performing well,” Tayag said, adding that the DOH had tried to hold a dialogue with the union but it refused to listen to the department’s explanations.

“I don’t know where they are getting their information. We have tried to reach out to them to explain what will happen but they are hard-headed,” Tayag said. “We appeal to them to listen and let us explain what this PPP means because we also need their help.”

The DOH official stressed that the government decided to modernize the POC so that it could continue to serve indigent patients with “better, more modern” POC facilities, which right now are “no longer responsive to the needs of our indigent patients.”

But Velchez, who is also president of National Orthopedic Hospital Workers Union, warned that “the 140,000 poor patients we serve every year will no longer be provided with free medicines, supplies and procedures.”

‘No DOH assurance’

He cited the case of a 50-year-old patient who has been relying on the POC for 18 years. “He has a spinal injury and can only move his head. He is also respirator-dependent but he is given health services for free because he is indigent.”

“There is no assurance from the DOH as to what will happen to us health workers. The 1,101 health workers will not be spared from massive retrenchment, contractualization, lesser income and lack of benefits,” he added.

The coalition also includes the Alliance of Health Workers, NARS ng Bayan, Philippine Nurses Association, the Network Opposed to Privatization, the urban poor group Kadamay and the militant women’s group Gabriela.

A mass walkout of POC personnel is scheduled on April 26 to coincide with the deadline for the submission of bids for the project.