Medical missions for typhoon victims back on track
All's well that ends well.
The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) and the Iloilo Medical Society (IMS) have continued conducting medical missions in typhoon-ravaged areas in Iloilo and other provinces in the region following the directive of Health Secretary Francisco Duque II temporarily suspending the guidelines issued by Center for Health Development 6 regional director Dr. Lydia Depra-Ramos relative to the conduct of medical missions.
Duque, upon learning that medical missions conducted by certain groups were stopped because of the guidelines, called on Ramos not to push through with the implementation of the guidelines.
Duque said the help of various organizations, more particularly the group of doctors, is badly needed in this time of crisis.
"I don't think we have to be very strict with our guidelines as it would discourage certain groups to extend their help to the typhoon victims," Duque said over Aksyon Radyo Iloilo.
Ramos in an emergency press conference last Friday clarified that she did not order the stopping of medical missions. She said there's nothing new with the guidelines she issued as it has long been existing.
"It's unfortunate that the way it was placed was not well-received (by the PMA and IMS). Maybe it's just a matter of semantics," Ramos said.
Ramos said the guidelines was taken from the department's Administrative Order 179 issued in the year 2001.
She said it was meant to regulate the conduct of medical missions for the safety of the beneficiaries.
"We have received report that expired medicines were distributed in a certain medical mission," Ramos said.
She however did not elaborate on who conducted and where the medical mission was held.
"I didn't stop them (referring to PMA and IMS) from conducting the medical missions, they stopped doing it because they don't like regulations," added Ramos.
Dr. Florentino Alerta II, representing the IMS, who was also present during the press conference admitted that their group were dismayed by the issuance of the guidelines as they had already started their work.
"It (the guidelines) has dampened our momentum, because of the guidelines we decided to hold in abeyance our medical missions," Alerta said.
"We responded immediately on the needs of the people, in this time of calamity our people need our help," he added.
Alerta said as professional doctors they are responsible for what they are doing. "Rest assured that the doctors conducting medical missions are licensed by the Professional Regulation Commission, some even have multiple disciplines. We don't have to question them anymore," Alerta said.
Alerta added that what they are doing are mere consultations and distribution of medicines and they do not conduct surgical operations.
To note, Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas Raul Banias also interceded to resolve the conflict. In a letter addressed to Dr. Roland Uy, governor for Western Visayas of the PMA, Banias appealed for the group to "continue your much needed service, and finish your noble work."
"Perhaps in our burning commitment to serve those in need and the fatigue that is beginning to seep into our sinews, we have misconstrued the guidelines as restrictions and bureaucratic prohibitions.
"Perhaps the guidelines came at the wrong time when the urgency of the situation demands emergency actions not otherwise observed in normal times," reads part of Banias's letter.