DOH: Hospital holiday threat partly defused

Health authorities managed to convince some private hospitals to call off their plans of a hospital holiday over the upcoming enforcement of the Cheaper Medicines Law this Saturday. But Robert So, head executive assistant to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, admitted Tuesday that they came short of getting a blanket guarantee from the group of hospitals that threatened to stage a holiday. “Pinulong natin ang ibang mga member ng Private Hospitals Associations of the Philippines (PHAP) at ipinaliwanag sa kanila na hindi sila ang sasalo ng bayarin ng pagbaba ng presyo ng gamot kundi ang mga manufacturer. Kaya sinabi nila na di sila mag-hospital holiday at susundin nila ang batas," So said in an interview on dzXL radio. (We met with representatives of hospitals that are members of the PHAP Monday. We told them the pharmaceutical companies will shoulder the ‘losses’ from the 50-percent price cut. They said they will call off their plan of a hospital holiday.) Last weekend, the PHAP threatened a hospital holiday, claiming it can’t shoulder the losses from a 50-percent price cut in essential medicines. PHAP members said the hospitals, which bought the medicines, would be forced to shut down due to expected heavy losses. But Duque countered with a threat to remove the PhilHealth accreditation of hospitals that take part in the supposed hospital holiday. He added that hospitals that would take part in such action risk being charged. [See: Govt, hospitals trade threats over drug price reduction] On the other hand, So admitted they did not get a guarantee from the PHAP itself, as it had no official representative during Monday’s meeting, only individual members of the group came, representing individual hospitals. “Inimbitahan natin ang representative ng PHAP kahapon (Monday) at walang nakapunta dahil out of the country raw sila. Ang nakapunta lang, ang representatives ng individual hospitals. So hindi ko masasabi kung ano ang magiging action ng private hospitals sa kabuuan. Ang sinasabi natin, nakakasiguro tayo na hindi lahat na member ng private hospital magho-hospital holiday," So said. (We invited representatives of PHAP but they did not come because they were supposedly out of the country. Those who went represented individual hospitals. So I cannot say we fully defused the threat of a hospital holiday, but at least we are sure not all private hospitals will take part in such action.) Meanwhile, So reiterated they will implement the Cheaper Medicines Act on Saturday, as scheduled. "Walang pagbabago. Mabibili natin ang mga gamot na hahatiin ang presyo hindi lang sa drugstores kundi pati sa hospital (There is no change in schedule. People can expect to buy these medicines at half price starting Saturday not just in drugstores but also in hospital pharmacies)," he said. - GMANews.TV