DOH 6 directive halts medical missions for typhoon victims
The Department of Health (DOH) in Western Visayas has now issued a guideline for all doctors and private groups out to conduct medical missions in the region's Typhoon Frank-affected areas.
As such, put to a halt are all ongoing emergency medical relief assistance and activities of local doctors in partnership with civic groups and other private organizations.
Today's scheduled medical mission in Mina and Pototan, Iloilo by Iloilo City-based doctors were also canceled as compliance on the DOH order.
Member-doctors were informed of the Health Department's latest instruction in a text message passed around.
Dr. Florentino Alerta of the Iloilo Medical Society (IMS) decried the directive saying the timing was off and is the reason for the lost momentum to help at the moment.
"We understand the existing national guidelines on the conduct of medical missions but why impose it now when we are in a state of calamity and people are in great need of medical attention. As doctors, our hearts are for the poor and the sick and we cannot just watch and do nothing," Dr. Alerta said.
The directive was sent out by DOH Regional Director Lydia Depra-Ramos. A total of 12 prerequisites were laid down as a matter of procedure prior to entering any beneficiary-villages and communities.
Director Ramos in issuing the order justified the move stating such was necessary "to ensure safe and responsive medical assistance."
Priority areas, the DOH 6 said, must be those severely affected but with prior say of concerned government agencies. And depending on the severity of the cases, Director Ramos through the guideline re-issued by the department wanted a more effective method.
And it must be in writing too, the department said of the "clearance, not permit," to be possessed, with one coming from the DOH and another from the host Local Government Unit (LGU).
Further still, medical missions at these times must ensure distribution of free medicines and supplies only. Such alongside the presence "only of qualified and competent medical and paramedical health workers" out to perform needed medical services.
The medicines must also be duly inspected particularly the dates of expiry and a report submitted to the host health facility on all cases attended by the medical mission team.
"What we are just saying is that the time now is different, the need for medical assistance is extensive so while we know and understand the existing DOH rules on the conduct of medical missions, with the calamity we are facing, the people needs all the immediate help they can get," Dr. Alerta explained.
Director Ramos when reached by The News Today (TNT) for comment clarified that the directive is primarily for "monitoring purposes only."
And with Iloilo and other provinces in the region indeed in a state of calamity, "all the more" that monitoring is needed, Ramos said.
"With all the good intentions, sometimes things happen and we are trying to avoid that," she said while adding that all the department desires is for the victims to get proper medical care and medicines that are duly approved by government.
The DOH here was concerned after getting a report on one medical mission that gave out expired medicines.
"It's not really a permit but a clearance. We just want to monitor the services extended, the areas covered and the supplies and medicines up for distribution," the lady director stressed.
Director Ramos also assured of immediate action once medical teams seek the needed clearance.
"It will be given in minutes," she said.
Meanwhile, in a related development, TNT obtained late yesterday a letter from Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas Raul Banias addressed to Dr. Roland Uy, governor for Western Visayas of the Philippine Medical Association appealing 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.