NGO hits privilege and entitlements during crisis
MANILA – A group known as Philippine Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (PAPO) said health workers should be credited for dedication to serve the people despite the risks from “an invisible indestructible enemy, the COVID-19.”
In a statement released today, the group said there appeared another “enemy of the state” referring to some government officials, their family and friends for getting the bulk of COVID-19 test kits sans protocols and “undermining key strategies to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”
The group lamented such activities deprived those in most need of the life-saving test.
“Recently, a lawmaker broke the law, Republic Act 11332 (Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concerns Act,” the group said in their statement. They said the official defied quarantine rules when he left home despite knowing of the possibility he may test positive for COVID-19 and went to bring his wife to a hospital endangering the lives of health workers and the public.
“The behavior seems to come from a feeling of privilege and entitlement. We feel this is a betrayal of his duty to protect the Filipino people, especially the patients and healthcare workers,” the group added.
They appealed to politicians who want to be treated like VIPs to stop their actuations as most people have seen enough.
Citing a quote from the World Health Organization (WHO), PAPO said the safety of patients during the provision of health services that are safe and of high quality is a prerequisite for strengthening health care systems and making progress towards effective universal healthcare coverage (UHC) under Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Ensure healthy lives and promote health and well-being for all ages). (Melo M. Acuña)