Philippine Scene # 13 - The Philippine General Hospital

I entered the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in order to get a blue card (P7.00 pesos only) for my skin checkup at the Out-Patient Department.

It was required by SuperCare Medical Services, Inc. (the recommended outpatient medical servces of the shipping company where I work) for the approval of my medical examination.

I have to get an assessment at the Dermatology Department headed by Dr. Francisca Roa, through one of its resident dermatologists. Dr. Giselle Marie S. Tioleco.

My case included skin culprits, like Molluscum contagiosum on my face and onychomycosis on my nails.

Dr. Tioleco and her senior resident assessed that I don't have a contagious lesions on my face (whatsoever). My only problem is my Candida Onichomycosis which opted me to undergo a specimen examination at the laboratory.

The result was to cure my nail problem and treat me with proper medication. I still had to undergo medication on board for the next three months.

Since its creation in 1907, the Philippine General Hospital becomes thePhilippines' 105-year old national tertiary referral center and teaching hospital of UP Manila (The Health Sciences Center) that includes the UP College of Medicine, UP College of Nursing, UP College of Dentistry and allied colleges. It is the largest government hospital administered by the UP System (as of this writing).

The PGH covers a lot of medical services. Its different departments include: Anesthesiology, Cancer Institute, Emergency Medicine, Family and Community Medicine, Hospital Dentistry, Laboratories, Medicine, Neurosciences, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Opthalmology and Visual Sciences, Orthopedics, Otorinolarynology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Radiology, Rehabilitation Medicine and Surgery.

Incidentals:

This is just a day-today scenario at the Philippine General Hospital which cater to the Filipino masses; people who can't affor the services of private medical institutions.

PGH is memorable to me because for a month back in 1998, my father was admitted at the ICU of Communicable Diseases (CD) Ward where he died from lung cancer or Tuberculosis III leading to carcinoma (due to excessive cigarette smoking).

Like other government edifices, this medical institution is also subjected to privatization, since healthcare providers are demanding for a first-rate services that the public is also clamoring.

The plan was answered by massive protest, along with medical employees and hospital workers.

Until now, the move to privatize was met with cold shoulders by the management.

The scenario that occur each day inside the promises of the PGH differ significantly when you're in a private hospital.

PGH is running out of medical staff since most of the board passers are trying their luck or landed high-paying medical jobs abroad.

With the massive brain drain going on, a public hospital like PGH will always suffer.

(With personal opinion and writings from travel_man1971 aka Ireno A. Alcala, July 20, 2012)