MikeLigalig.com

MAYEN JAYMALIN
The Philippine Star

With 85 percent of the country’s health care professionals working abroad, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III admits that the medical system is in crisis, and a “collapse” could not be far behind.

For every 100 health professionals, 88 have left in search of high-paying jobs outside the country, Duque said.

“The health care delivery system in the Philippines has gone critical, almost desperate,” Duque said during awarding of The Outstanding Filipino Physician (TOFP) at the Manila Hotel Thursday night.

Due to this exodus, he said only one government doctor is available for every 28,000 Filipinos.

“By any meter stick, the ratio could only mean the under-delivery of medical services to many of our countrymen,” Duque lamented.

He added that the best doctors are concentrated in Metro Manila and other urban centers where medical practice is more lucrative to the disadvantage of patients in the rural areas.

To make the situation worse, Duque said fewer medical graduates are passing the licensure examinations.

“Low number of medical graduates passing the licensure examination while the monthly pay of new doctors joining the government remains low – make a potentially disastrous brew that could lead to the potential collapse of public health care delivery in the Philippines,” he said.

But Duque expressed optimism that the grim scenario could be prevented as the Department of Health and other agencies embarked on the search for outstanding Filipino doctors.

With the TOFP, Duque said good Filipino doctors and other health care professionals would hopefully be encouraged to stay and render their services here.

“Their examples (of the chosen outstanding Filipino doctors) in living up to the Hippocratic oath are exactly what this country needs. Their brand of quiet heroism is a timely counterpoint to a nation that is desperately in search of real self-sacrificing leaders,” Duque said.

The health chief is also hopeful that with the TOFP, criticisms against Filipino medical practitioners like the recent slur in one of America’s biggest television shows would be prevented.

“With the TOFP awards in place, any snide (remark) at Filipino doctors in the future must not bother us even if it is made in a top-selling television show like ‘Desperate Housewives,’ which they are – desperate,” he said.

Duque said America has not seen the best and brightest Filipino doctors yet like TOFP awardees Dr. Charlotte Chiong, Dr. Enrique Ona, Dr. Willie Ong, Dr. Carmencita Padilla and Dr. Eric Talens.

The awardees were cited for demonstrating professional excellence in their respective fields, and for making a big difference in the service of the people, especially the poor.

By recognizing the life-saving contributions of our doctors, we have started our national campaign for patriotism,” Duque said.

The five awardees bested 72 nominated Filipino physicians, 37 of whom were short-listed and about 19 doctors emerged as semifinalists. But only five were chosen after a thorough scrutiny by a eight-man board of judges.

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