Health Experts Appalled By Campaign Against Breastfeeding

The Philippine Department of Health (DOH), World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) all expressed dismay over a campaign launched by private pharmaceutical companies against breastfeeding.

"We are appalled by the persistent distortion of data by the Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP)", DOH Undersecretary Alexander Padilla said. "They propagate misleading information that seriously undermines breastfeeding in the country."

The group cited press releases and paid advertisements that appeared in newspapers during the commemoration of World Breastfeeding Week. The worldwide event is the largest annual celebration of breastfeeding by advocates and is held during the first week of August.

"The timing and nature of the materials are clearly unethical and is the very reason why the new implementing rules and regulations of Executive Order 51, or the Milk Code, is all the more imperative," Padilla added.

The revised guidelines of the Milk Code impose an absolute ban on advertising, promotions, or sponsorships of breast milk substitutes.

The Supreme Court is currently studying the documents submitted by the DOH and PHAP following a much publicized oral argument last month. The materials of PHAP cited studies and data by the National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), DOH, WHO, and UNICEF that painted encouraging breastfeeding rates in the country.

From: AllHeadLineNews.com

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What does the HOUSE BILL NO. 1344 contain?

House Bill No. 1344 mandates all public and private schools to require their students in the elementary, secondary and tertiary levels to undergo a yearly drug test as a prerequisite for enrollment and providing penalties for violations of the said law. The test shall be undertaken under the supervision of the Department of Health.

Refusal to undergo a drug test without a justifiable cause will not be admitted to the school until he complies with the requirement under this Act.

This house bill has been approved and said to take effect upon its approval.

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Php 100M for Philippine General Hospital

President Macapagal-Arroyo ordered the a P100 million budget for the modernization of Philippine General Hospital (PGH). Half of the amount (P50 million) will be from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the other half from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. or PAGCOR.

PGH will start receiving P50 million annually from PAGCOR next year until Arroyo's term ends (on the year 2010).

The funds are being released for the hospital’s centennial anniversary which is celebrated this month. PGH was given P100 million last year for its rehabilitation program. The amount was used to acquire more medical equipment, expand hospital rooms and put up more mobile health vans.

Similar funds will also be provided to other public hospitals. Aside from modernizing public hospitals, government is also augmenting the PhilHealth insurance coverage targeting about four million indigents this year, and pushing for the passage of the cheaper medicines bill.

This is good news especially that the budget for health has been neglected these past years, allotting more on the Philippine Army. At least, it is an improvement.

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Are we running out of hospitals, too?

It seems that the health care crisis continues to be a problem in the Philippines. We have been running out of health manpower as nurses and doctors go abroad. It seems that we have another thing to be afraid of - the Philippines is also running out of hospitals!.

The Philippine Medical Association (PMA), based on a survey, reported that the number of hospitals, both private and public, in the country has dropped by 55 percent in the last 20 years - from a total of 2,000 in 1987 to only 890 at present.

Further, the new government policy that prevents private hospitals from "detaining" patients until they settle their hospitalization bills will worsen the situation. It may lead to bankruptcy of more hospitals which may lead to a more deteriorating health care system.

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Cheaper Medicine Bill Gained Support from Lawmakers

A bill aiming for a lowered price of medicines in the country has gained support among lawmakers in the House of Representatives.

At least 170 congressmen—enough to pass the bill—have thrown their support behind the measure, according to Iloilo Representative Ferjenel Biron, one of the chief proponents of the cheaper medicines bill, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reports.

Passing of the bill has unified the stand of lawmakers from both administration and opposition groups.

The House Bill No. 1, a resurrected version of the Cheaper Medicines Act of 2007, which failed to pass on third reading in the 13th Congress because of a lack of a quorum was authored by Iloilo Representative Ferjenel Biron. Accordingly, with the support gained from the congressmen, there is no reason that this bill won't be passed this time.

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