A Filipina friend of mine who was long working with 'Doctors without Borders'
and who now takes on a new job as consultant at the UN sent this article to me and let me share this to you. It is time for our government to face the music on such an important issue: the ‘vanishing’ health care professionals in our country. I wish our Health Secretary Duque III all the best and that he gets the much needed support from GMA and our congress to meet the challenge.
85% of RP health care professionals now abroad
By Mayen Jaymalin
Monday, October 22, 2007
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.
68 Kommentare:
sad reality in our country. but i cannot blame these medical professionals who left the country for lucrative offers somewhere else in the globe. the truth is majority of our people want to leave the country too, if only they have same opportunities as the nurses/doctors.
I don't blame them, either, Greg! But the government can sure do something on this. It's a good sign that Sec. Duque seems to be very concerned about this trend.
totally agree. the major role is for the government to do something real big. not only for nurses/doctors, even for us in other profession so that we need not go to other countries to make our living. i also want to stay back in my own country if economy is well.
It's a good sign, but at this stage, it's too little too late :(
Well, I guess that's better than not having been concerned at all. We can't blame our medical professionals for wanting a better life for themselves abroad but their fellow Filipinos need them more right here, right now.
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Incidentally, I'm someone who gave up his green card to the US just to go back home to the Philippines for good.
Unfortunately, the Philippines needs another lawyer like a dog needs another flea. Hehe.
Then I'm really proud to have you as, Buddy. I'*m not as courageous like you. ONe part of me says, go home; the other says no. Welcome to my blog, Northwolf!
Awards like TOFP will not change the mentality of these medical practitioners to get back they what have invested in medical schools. The worse scenario now....doctors now opted to become nurses in the first world....for the love of money and a better quality life.
There was one program called Doctor's to the Barrio, initiated by then Sec. Flavier. Now the concept is good...sending doctors to the barrio...but the lack of facilities like laboratories, OR theaters, diagnostic machines limit their capabilities in medical care....they are just stethoscope doctors....reality is these lab reagents, diagnostic machines and medicines are highly commercialized and that putting up a hospital in rural areas whose target market are population living below poverty line is not feasible.
I know about this. I have many friends who, although alrelaldy in their 40's, are now studying to become nurses :-(
But then we should remember, day, that providing heath care to its citizens is a basic obligation of the state! Maybe less money for those foreign debt payments and military supplies, so that the government can build those needed health infras.
jack, you are right. but there is need for a strong political will to make all this happen, not only on health, but on other important social services. but if all our leaders continue their infighting, and continue to budget government funds at the wrong pockets - i can say i don't think i'm going back home soon.
Where is Doque living? In dreamland? This seems to show that he has never grasped the reason why healthcare people leave the country.
Would a medal, a trophy, a 15 minute fame make medical professionals stay in the country? Sure, some of them, 20, 50, or 100 will do. But obviously that is not enough to reverse the trend.
Okey, in Fairness to Doque he might have understood the reasons why he is losing highly valuable professionals. But at the same he knows deep inside that he can't change it. So he opted for an easy way: show that he is doing something. And it is easy to organize a show such as TOFP.
"Easy as a Bandaid. Tadaaaaah...."
You're probably right, bong! Any alternative solution?
but political will won't be there if there is no critical mass which lobbies for it, greg. The question is will the so-called expats be united enough to form this critical mass. OFWs/expats claims 15% of the land's GNP. That's quite an economic bloc, if united.
It is not easy, Jack. This problem is not detached from the bigger picture "the philippines".
you're talking to a convert, bong. I know it is hard. We need not only to identify the problem and set goals, we have to look for visionaries, leaders, and organizers in our midst... Think about the combination of Gandhi and Nehru and their mass of cadres... in the Philippine setting.
One thing is to learn from other people's (countries') experience. Avoid re-inventing the wheel.
It is a shot in the dark, but they might try studying Germany's experience during "Kaizer Wilhelm" before WW2. That's when a national health insurance system was instituted for the whole population.
Learn from other people's mistakes and successes. Oh by the way, before that, accept first that the problem exists. Denial and sugarcoating won't help. Worse are "Bandaid" solutions like TOFP.
One thing is to learn from other people's (countries') experience. Avoid re-inventing the wheel.
It is a shot in the dark, but they might try studying Germany's experience during "Kaizer Wilhelm" before WW2. That's when a national health insurance system was instituted for the whole population.
Learn from other people's mistakes and success. Oh by the way, before that, accept first that the problem exists. Denial and sugarcoating won't help. Worse are "Bandaid" solutions like TOFP.
I would say "for the love of a better quality of life". Money is of course one effective instrument to achieve it. That is why these people go where money is more available.
In my opinion, most of these people are not politically inclined. If they were, they would have stayed. If the majority is not political, you can't achieve a critical mass. No lobbies, no pressure.
They won't unite to exert pressure by boycotting through witholding remittance for example. Remember, they left to find better life for them not for the government. They left to find money to remit to their families not to the government. So they know that if they withold remittance, they are just hurting their families not the government.
It wont work that way.
oy, I can't say that, Bong! Do you know my friend who sent me the article above is a medical doctor and she told me of initiatives on their part to at least minimize the urge of young Pinoy doctors to immediately leave the country after graduation. I also know of former activists- doctors and physical therapists- now based in the US but originally from Cebu who set-up a foundation to continue the basic health services they used to work with when they were still students or young doctors there. I think the challenge is really how to coordinate all these seemingly isolated efforts.
very interesting indeed..and there's also a trend that whatever works best there goes everybody..like the trend na nag uso yung IT..lahat kumuha ng course ng IT and US stopped hiring for how many years..now that the Medical Field is back lahat ng mga tao kumuha na nurses para lang talaga maka alis ng bansa.
Its a shame na wala nang natitira sa atin..pano gagana ang bansa natin kung wala nang mag tatrabaho dun? In my case, once nakaipon ako dito babalik ako sa pinas at dun na lang mag retire, magtayo ng negosyo at magbigay ng trabaho sa kapwa..sounds like am dreaming but hindi rin masama na mag wishful thinking. You'll never know.
Also, its about our cultural thinking at lahat na mga reasons kung baket nagkakaganito ang situation natin sa Pinas. Sa lahat siguro ng mga tao sa mundo ang pinas ang mas maraming OFW compared sa ibang bansa. hmm i think am moving away from the topic. am getting deeper somewhere in space? waaaaaaaaaaah*
Thank you Jack, it wasn't really a very difficult decision to make, truth be told. I've had a taste of the American life and frankly speaking it just does not begin to compare with the easy pace and quality of life in the Philippines. Besides, if and when I have my own family, I just do NOT want my kids to grow up in an American culture and way of living.
i admire you northwolf..i definitely agree with you when it comes to having a family here...i experienced it myself since my current boyfriend has two kids..they show NO respect for the elders.no manners and they definitely have a different attitude towards others.
ah, that's true!
Hi guys! Very interesting discussion.
I agree with Bong - these awards won't work. It's not a question of patriotism, it's definitely about practicality because one can't 'eat' these awards, no when one goes hungry.
It would be interesting to know what the private sector is doing about this - especially since there are a lot of efforts in promoting medical tourism. I don't want to sound like a wet blanket but looking at the government to provide the REAL solution to this problem is like waiting for something that won't come in a hundred years. Are there no big private corporations tapping this issue? Because even from a commercial standpoint, this could be a very good project due to the obvious gap in the med services market.
You mentioned that Lalaine, and just as sidebit I'll share you my experience on that. I need a dental implant and here it costs a hell lot of money- 1,000 Euros, that's about 60,000 Pesos - and my health insurance covers only the operation, not the implant itself. I was told by a Filipina here that it is cheaper to have it done in the Philippines and the craftmanship is as good as here. So, coming home last July, I made inquiries. But you know what I found? An implant back home costs 85,000 Thousand pesos! I told them that they're even much more expensive than in Germany. The answer of the dentist was: well, we import the materials from there and they're not cheap. So, I'd just close my eyes and have it done here :-(
can you really generalize it as such, Meow? My experience in Europe is different. Class, lifestyle, even country of origin (for migrants), to list some of the factors you have to consider in looking into family dynamics.
The question was addressed to Meow, but since I opened the topic, I would like to address that myself. It's not my intent to generalize about Westerner children in general, but I would like to limit my observation to American kids, since I've seen first hand what kind of life they lead there. Your children are half-German, and that's a totally different culture altogether. (And my personal experience with Germans has been quite good, hence I have nothing bad to say about them)
Don't get me wrong, there are nice Fil-American kids... well-mannered and with good Filipino values. But it's just not the same. There's something about American culture that I don't agree with that conflicts with the values and mindset that I grew up with here in the Philippines. Respect and deference to elders is one of them... American kids in general just tend to talk back and have an air of privilege and entitlement about them.
he..he... maybe you only meet "the good Germans", Janjan!
My children talk back to me, too! And I encourage them to do that. But then I think what you mean is the "way" children talk back... The tone makes the music, as a German proverb would put it.
Yep. There's a world of difference between discussing an issue and being impertinent.
i agree...but please bong don't pose another challenging question
this is an interesting discussion. let me share my thoughts about this through blog post in Philippines without borders: http://davidllorito.blogspot.com/2005/12/dont-blame-nurses-for-medical-crisis.html
this one is related to this as well: http://davidllorito.blogspot.com/2006/03/skilled-filipino-workers-of-world.html
and this one: http://davidllorito.blogspot.com/2006/03/worse-than-proclamation-1017_08.html
i hate the idea of equating money to a better quality of life. take for example the recent trend here...a mother leaving her toddler to the care of a distant relative and become a DH in other countries, taking care of children of others, with the thought she could give a better quality of life to her family if she could provide them with material things...
i tend not to be judmental about this. its all about people's choices in life. who could really say that that person's decision to work abroard is wrong, and the other one's right?
ovid talks back to me all the time. we always debate, but he grew more respectful because he feels i respect his views as a person.
neither i do blame them dave...i witness a day-to-day survival of families who live below poverty line...and i consider myself as one.
hmmmn, you dont look like being under the line... hehe
ok to give you a proper perspective...i am employed in a govt hosp and receiving a net pay of P1000 a month. i survived from loan to pay my other loan so i could loan...kuha mo! that is how ordinary employees survive here. my advantage is i am single. i don't have children to send to school and feed everyday.
are you a nurse?
not really in general but most likely. I see them everyday when i go to work, am not also judging them because i have no right to, but this is my observation and i know these things are mainly happening ever since. where i live, considering a fact that new york city is so diverseand the cultural differences varies,it mixes up with the american values, lifestyle and class. And yes Jack, I agree with you on that one. My bad for making it too general was blinded with what ive personally experienced probably.
no i am not a nurse dave...i am employed as a clerk.
ok. thanks.
i do understand what you mean northwolf and most of the pinoys who really grew up in the philippines would notice that. Its up to the parents of how they manage the upbringing of their kids...they always have that debate..should they learn filipino language or just english (para mukhang americano or americana talaga?para que??) or both? Also, we also have to consider different factors like, kids go to school they socialize, have friends, shared interest and so on and so forth. And as what ive said prior to my replies..in my experience kids here have no respect for their elders. If you try to discipline them, they will call 911 right away!
in davao city? wow... i used to live in matina!
you are familiar not because you are from matina...i used to work with NGOs before. Nagkita na siguro ta.
i used to work with afrim.
talking back is different when it comes to discipling their actions jack..its okay to encourage them when talking back at you in a different manner but still showing respect. Like for instance, i told the little guy to keep their voices down because their dad is still sleeping, he would look at me like he's going to murder me and say, i would do whatever i want to do and its none of your business! That's the kind of attitude that i don't want to hear and see from this kids. Lack of proper discipline! grrrrrr*
i used to jump from one NGO to another....one place to another...i met jack in Iligan. my last was Resource Mindanao Services more than a decade ago. I used to go to afrim.
got you, meow! Luckily, I never experienced that hear- not with my children, nor in any of our friends' families. I thought they're just exaggerations from Hollywood, those Amie kids :-(
Dave and Inday, If I may divulge this 'state' secret of yours: Sheilfa is your mutual friend.
I only know Ovid from the pictures you once sent me, Dave, when he was a baby. But knowing his parents, I would not expect anything less from him now :-)
so dave is the right person who could tell where is Shielfa? Where is shielfa dave?
Oh, I'll answer that for, Dave, 'day: your guess is as good as his or mine :-) We charted different paths a long time ago. In fact, I only met Dave again- just some weeks back- in Multiply! In much the same way that you also found me here. Multiply's a great place, no?
I'm sorry to read this, 'day! This reminds me to a time when I used to earn nothing doing difficult and risky work. Ah, but that was a different time and context as you very well know.
Thanks again for all these links, Dave! They are much appreciated.
oh don't be sorry jack. i am pretty much happy and contented now. i realized this is all i want, a simple and contented life (and stress free LOL). i don't have regrets with the work we did before, it made me a better person. at least i can rationalize the 4Ws and 1H of life here in the phil.
indeed a great space....i went to Al's profile i didn't noticed i got my eyes strained staring at the photos in Montserrat....i got to take a break before i will open another place...o diba naka tour ko...
Hi jack. its not only Pinoys doing exodus, also the Dutch, every year(since we left 4 years ago), more than a hundred thousand leave every year, noticebly are young couples with young children,..destinations,..Belgium, Germany, Amerika, Canada, Australia and Asia.
The reasons are more luxed than of Pinoys,.in Neds houses are very expensive (the most in west EU), moslimized na daw ang society nila dahil tolerant masyado ang govt., Maiba naman ang kanilang environment (look for some excitement in life outside Neds).
Our reasons can be one of these.
small world. we may have met once or twice...
no idea. we met right after she won a palanca (second place) here in manila. we chatted over coffee but after that, no more. we exchanged emails but she discovered im not always politically correct so she broke contact.
but ill try hunting her once again.
ok. here's sheilfa's email: Sheilfa@hotmail.com
i hope she is still using that.
speaking of sheilfa as a great writer, you may check this: http://makata2005.tripod.com/flash_fiction_01.html
kadaghan pa siguro Dave....i was visible in protest rallies way back hmmmm sorry hindi ko na matandaan.
nope not joining the discussion jack, i am looking for your email!!!
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