In the midst of a national health emergency, ensuring people’s access to health services is the foundation of a successful response. Today, 15 September, the Commission on Human Rights joins the nation in observance of the Philippine Medicine Day.
The current pandemic has put the country’s health system under pressure and stretched its capacity beyond what it can truly sustain. Like in other societies, Covid-19 has exposed the critical gaps in healthcare services which can have a long-term impact on the overall health and well-being of the population if left unaddressed and disregarded.
The Commission recognises the immense contribution of our health workers who are truly the backbone of our healthcare system. In order to realise the highest possible standard of health, we need to stand behind them and demand for a greater and strategic investment in frontline health workers in fighting coronavirus.
As we have expressed in the past, the CHR backs pending legislations from both the Senate and Congress that push for concrete measures on how we could support, manage, and protect the medical professionals in our country.
With the recent passage of the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2, we welcome provisions that heed the plea of our healthcare workers including the expansion of government hospital capacity, additional isolation and quarantine facilities, adequate supply of protective equipment, among others. The said measure will also allocate budget for Covid-19 special risk allowance, compensation for those who get infected by the virus, meals, transportation, and temporary accommodation of our front liners. We likewise support the proposed policy to penalise all forms abuse and harassment against health care workers and extends the liability of an offending establishment to its officers.
The Commission reiterates that the health sector cannot hold the line for much longer if no adequate and responsive measures will alleviate the challenging situation of our health care workers. If the health system collapses, it is ultimately the poor and the vulnerable who are most compromised. In the end, winning the fight against Covid-19 relies heavily on being able to capacitate our best assets in addressing the medical needs of all Filipinos. ###