By Egay Uy
HAS the Department of Health in Region 10 initiated an action to check on the veracity of my complaint regarding the unconscionable and excessive prices of medicines in pharmacies inside private hospitals? Since that office sent its reply to my letter and the time it snubbed the invitation of the city council’s committee on trade and commerce, nothing has been heard from it.
It may have been lucky the invitation to the city council en banc session was not sent to it on time that it consequently was able to thwart a possible grilling by at least two of the members of the city council, councilors George Goking and Edna Dahino. They did not mince words given the DOH’s failure to attend the trade and commerce committee meeting.
But lucky it may be at that time, still, it has failed my expectation on how it should respond to a legitimate concern that is being raised by a lowly concerned citizen who has become a “victim” of what appears to be an unchecked practice by private hospitals.
First, there are confirmed exorbitant prices of medicines in private hospital pharmacies. Then, laboratory fees are required to be paid in cold cash even if a patient is fighting for her life in the intensive care unit. And include to that the extra payment one has to make when services in the x-ray and radiology department are rendered on a non-working day.
Of course, I know that a private hospital is being operated as a business venture. It is not a charitable institution where a patient may be able to receive medical services at a minimal cost or even for free.
I will continue egging on and wait for positive action from the DOH. All it has to do is to investigate if the allegations are true and come up with recommendations or measures that will directly address the issues raised. It cannot just dismiss a valid issue or concern by saying that it has no authority or legal basis in regulating medicine prices in private hospitals
If it has no such authority, can it not recommend corrective measures? In short, just DOH it!
(Egay Uy is a lawyer. He chairs the City’s Regulatory and Complaint Board, co-chairs with the city mayor the City Price Coordinating Council, and chairs the city’s Joint Inspection Team. He retired as a vice president of Cepalco.)
