Health sector joins the calls for truth and justice

Health Alliance for Truth and Justice
2/F Dona Anita Bldg., 284 E. Rodriguez Ave. , Quezon
City Tel. 725-4760

Reference : Dr. Darby Santiago, Convenor
Vice-chairperson, Health Alliance for Democracy

Diagnosing the corruption of the Arroyo government
Health sector joins the calls for truth and justice

“Moderate the greed”, a memorable phrase out of the ZTE-NBN broadband investigation, is a desperate expression that demonstrates the insolent corruption and the venality of the Arroyo government.

The political rut uncovered by the ZTE-NBN scam, and the ensuing exposé made by Engr. Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, again only underscores the systemic and endemic corruption in Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s leadership since she stepped into power. It is a presidency often described as “among the most corrupt in Asia” by various independent watchdogs and monitors like the Transparency International.

The country has never been so embroiled in multi-million corruption scandals than the current
dispensation. Its laundry list of shady deals date back to the Diosdado Macapagal highway (overpriced by P536M), the fertilizer scam (P728M funds for farmers stolen by Usec Bolante), North Luzon Rail project (suspiciously priced at $503M), and the P500,000 cash gifts to Arroyo’s political allies at the height of an impeachment complaint.

As a matter of fact, it is reported that 20% of the national budget goes to corruption. According to the Philippine Center of Investigative Journalism(PCIJ), 7 out of 10 official development aid (ODAs) are mostly white elephants and really do not deliver the economic benefits. These ODA’s only serve as opportunities for exacting kickbacks and enriching those in power.

Doctors, nurses, and other members of the health sector who attend to our people’s health bear witness to how corruption and the insatiable greed of the ruling political elite is taking its toll on the public health care system. Corruption directly translates to the paltry health budget, so sorely insufficient that it cannot effect any palpable change in the country’s health indicators. Money should be used to help save lives, mitigate epidemics, prevent the rise of infectious diseases, and improve the well-being of ordinary Filipinos. Instead, this money
is stolen from government funds and enjoyed by a privileged few.

The conditions of public hospitals can be exemplified by Philippine General Hospital (PGH), which has not experienced any significant raise in gov’t subsidy in the last 10 years. What more for the small rural health units in far-flung areas? The very same pervasive corruption erodes the interest of health professionals to do practice in this country. The national gov’t can never veil the dismal reality of the health crisis experienced by patients and health care providers alike.

Now, Jun Lozada, who has courageously chosen to stand by the truth, has become the target of attack by the vindictive Arroyo administration. What message is being delivered to our people? Moderate the greed.

We cannot allow this to go on. We cannot the stranglehold of a political mafia to go on.

We call on all concerned doctors, nurses, and other members of the health sector to join us in our stand, in our struggle truth, accountability, and justice. Wherever we may be, in hospitals, clinics, schools, and in the streets, we must lend our voice to the growing clamor of the people for real change. We must exercise our patriotic duties. As concerned citizens, let us take active steps to ensure our democratic interests are protected.

Seek the Truth, Fight corruption.


Understanding the health economics of the ZTE kickback

Government’s skewed priorities and insatiable corruption are exemplified in the ZTE-NBN scam. Just to assess the venality of this administration, the colossal P6.5 billion (US$ 130 million) “commission” demanded by former COMELEC Chair Benjamin Abalos is
enough to cover:

 15,000 kidney transplant surgeries at
P600,000 each
 49,000 open-heart surgeries costing at least
P200,000 each
 325,000 cataract surgeries
 6,500,000 patients for a seven day course of
antibiotics
 the medication of 1,083, 333 TB patients on
the estimated cost of
 Php 6,000, administered in six months
 5 times the current budget of the Philippine
General Hospital (PGH), the country’s leading
goverment hospital, which serves around 600,000
patients a year, with an admission rate of 4, 000
cases a month.
 the subsistence allowance for 70, 000 public
health workers for the next five years.
 a P3, 000 across the board wage increase of
all government health personnel health for the next
2 years.