Gabriela calls for higher health budget in 2012 to address ‘dismal state of reproductive health’
During the August 9 budget hearing of the DOH, Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño exposed the practice of the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) of asking indigent patients to pawn personal items like mobile phones and watches in exchange for releasing patients.
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — The proposal for a reproductive health law may still be stuck in limbo, but this is not stopping women’s group Gabriela from demanding that the Aquino administration allot more funds for reproductive health services in the country.
Gabriela deputy-secretary general Gert Libang said the Aquino administration should decisively address issues concerning the “dismal state of reproductive health.” She said the government has the main responsibility to ensure that there are sufficient funds for public health, including coverage for comprehensive maternal and child care services.
“Only when health care and other social services assume priority in government spending could it begin to concretely promote women’s health,” she said.
According to Libang, the government has long neglected public health services, and one of the immediate effects is the erosion of maternal and infant health care .
“With the government spending less and less on key health services, women are deprived of appropriate health care services that will enable them to go through pregnancy and childbirth safely and ensure the health of their newborns,” she said.
Gabriela deputy secretary-general Gert Libang said the Aquino administration should decisively address issues concerning the “dismal state of reproductive health.” She said the government has the main responsibility to ensure that there are sufficient funds for public health, including coverage for comprehensive maternal and child care services. (Photo by Ina Alleco R. Silverio / bulatlat.com)
“The P10.265 billion-proposed nominal increase (US$23.87 million) in the 2012 DOH budget is deceptive. The supposed increase is not intended for actual delivery of tangible health care services that will benefit women and the people. The truth is, the proposed budget does not provide for the construction of additional maternal hospitals and substantive increase in the hiring of doctors, midwives, and other medical professionals. These measures could, without a doubt, do much to improve tragic statistics on maternal death and infant mortality,” she said.
Libang said 11 women die everyday from complications connected to childbirth.
Based on reports, allocations for infant and child care services such as vaccination and immunization has been cut to a mere P1.874 billion (US$43.5 million), down from last year’s P2.492 billion (US$57.9 million). In the meantime, the budget for subsidies to indigent patients for confinement or use of specialized equipment has been decimated from P16 million (US$372,093) in 2011 to zero.
“If this budget will be approved, more poor Filipinos including women and children will be deprived of health services. Women in particular will have even less access to essential reproductive health care services,” Libang said.
The women’s group also said that while there has been a considerable increase in proposed allocations for the so-called “Family Health and Responsible Parenting” program, this will not necessarily lead to the betterment of the situation of reproductive health care..... MORE
Source: Bulatlat.com
URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/08/11/gabriela-calls-for-higher-health-budget-in-2012-to-address-dismal-state-of-reproductive-health/
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