Doctors and other workers at the Philippine Orthopedic Center in Quezon City have warned of bigger protests against Health Secretary Janette Garin if she pushes through with the planned privatization of the government hospital.
Sean Herbert Velchez, president of the National Orthopedic Hospital Workers’ Union-Alliance of Health Workers, said hospital employees will put up a human barricade in front of the Department of Health central office in Manila on March 9 and a sit-down strike on March 13.
“We will also be inviting the health secretary to a breakfast during Monday’s barricade,” he said.
Velchez urged Garin to rescind the contract between the government and Megawide Corp. to “modernize” the POC under a public-private partnership using the sin tax fund.
Yesterday, resident doctors, employees, physical therapists and even patients joined Velchez at a news conference to protest the privatization plan at the hospital’s lobby.
“In our recent dialogue with Garin, she said she did not agree to the privatization of public hospitals, but she did not categorically state that she would stop the private takeover of POC. This did not give us any assurance that the people’s welfare would be prioritized. This is an indication that the POC privatization will push through,” he said.
The Aquino administration must be held liable for the privatization of health and social services to favor big businesses at the expense of the poor, he explained.
POC is the only government hospital specializing in orthopedic disorders.
“According to bidding documents and bulletins, the ‘modernized’ POC will allocate only 70 beds for service (indigent) patients and 420 for sponsored (Philippine Health Insurance) patients – compared to the current 562 beds or 85 percent capacity for indigent patients. The new management would have the option not to accommodate poor patients if the 70 beds are already occupied,” Velchez said in a statement.
He also warned of the possible displacement of workers and increased hospital fees under the privatization scheme.