Philippine Healthcare From The Eyes of the Lay Person
Lately I’ve been featuring articles written by my fellow doctors regarding the current healthcare status of our country. And yes, we’ve received both positive and negative comments about the views presented by these doctors. But that’s the purpose of the whole thing, right? So that a whole lot of people be aware of what’s happening and to initiate discussion about it, in the hope that something could be done to stop the deterioration and to rebuild.
And since I want to have a balance of views here, today I’m featuring an article, written by Lalon dela Rosa of thE.thumBSuckeR. He tells us of his niece’s experience of being admitted in a government hospital and how disappointing it is that there can be very rude public healthcare staff. But, in contrast to the negative experience, he also detailed some good points these hospitals have.
What Makes Our Public Healthcare Poorer?
by Lalon dela Rosa
It’s been like 3 days and 4 nights already that my newest/youngest niece, Chryz Ghian was admitted and is staying in a government-subsidized hospital (the National Children’s Hospital in E. Rodriguez Ave, Cubao, Quezon City) due to the child’s on and off fever that’s been going on for 3 whole days before her parents then decided to bring him in to a doctor.. he was first brought in to a private clinic nearby but then the doctor there suggested if we could bring the baby to PGH so they could perform further diagnostics as to why Ghian is having such fever, the clinic is unable to do that for they don’t have the necessary facilities to accommodate us.
So we’ve got no choice but to bring him in to PGH instead.. but as always, that public hospital never failed to disappoint us with their poor public service.. we literally waited for nothing (btw, we waited patiently and we weren’t even that typical demanding patients although i believe we have all the rights to do so, we’re paying high taxes, we exercise our right to vote, we’re law-abiding citizens and we approach public officials respectfully).. disgusted, we then went to the National Children’s Hospital.. it’s really long ride from Taft Ave and you might wanna ask why there? simply because i have an Aunt that’s working there as a Nurse Aid for more than 25 years and at least we’re assuming that good public service is guaranteed for us there.. but still we didn’t have it the way we should have it, and everybody else as well.
why i said so? because most (though there are some nice nurses and doctors naman) regular Nurses there are all snob and freaking hostile (in general) to us.. one time i went there to pay a visit to my niece and i weren’t able to get a friendly respond or even a definite answer as to where i could find my niece’s ward.. here’s a conversation with me and a good-looking guy nurse there (sayang ang gwapo pa naman nya)…
