A Bohol resident has taken to social media to express frustration over the lack of available ear, nose, and throat (EENT) specialists and equipment in the province’s hospitals during the holidays, despite paying “rightful taxes.”
In a Facebook post dated Dec. 27, Han Nah recounted her week-long ordeal seeking medical attention for severe ear pain and discharge.
“I had a very severe pain in my left ear when I woke up on Dec. 17,” she wrote.
“By Dec. 19, I decided to go to Tubigon Community Hospital ER, where the doctor prescribed me antibiotics and painkillers and advised me to see an EENT.”
After completing her prescribed antibiotics, Han Nah sought further consultation due to persistent symptoms.
However, her attempts to see an EENT in several hospitals in Tagbilaran City were unsuccessful.
“I went to ACE Medical Hospital, Ramiro Community Hospital, and the Provincial Hospital ER, but they all told me there was no EENT doctor on-call,” she said.
“At the Provincial Hospital OPD, I was told their EENT doctor only checks eyes because they don’t have instruments for ears. Could you not buy an otoscope at least?”
Han Nah criticized the lack of medical resources in the province, especially during emergencies.
“This is the only provincial hospital on the island, and they don’t have the proper instrument to check my ear,” she said.
“What if there’s an emergency that needs an EENT doctor? I’ve been to four hospitals, but there was no doctor on-call. It’s frustrating.”
She stressed the seriousness of her condition.
“People shouldn’t tell me my condition isn’t an emergency. A sudden ear pain with discharge is an emergency case!” Han Nah said.
The post has trigerred discussions online, with residents echoing similar concerns about the state of healthcare services in Bohol, particularly during the holiday season.
Hospital administrators and local officials have yet to respond to the issue.
NO FUNDS FOR MALASAKIT?
Meanwhile, Boholanos expressed dismay over the depletion of funds at the Malasakit Center in Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Medical Center (GCGMMC), a major healthcare facility serving Central Visayas.
The center, part of a nationwide healthcare program launched during the Duterte administration, has ceased operations due to lack of funding, leaving many indigent patients without access to crucial financial medical assistance.
“The Malasakit Center was our lifeline during emergencies,” said Vanvan, a resident of Tagbilaran City. “Unlike other DOH programs, it provided immediate assistance when we needed it most.”
Established on October 12, 2018, through the initiative of then Special Assistant to the President and now Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, the center began with an initial funding of P5 million pesos. It served as a one-stop shop where indigent patients could access various government medical assistance programs.
Malasakit Centers, established through Republic Act 11463 or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, are one-stop shops that house representatives from various government agencies offering medical assistance programs.
The centers are present in 159 government hospitals nationwide as of 2023.
The Department of Health (DOH) continues to maintain other medical assistance programs, but residents say these often involve longer processing times compared to the Malasakit Center’s streamlined approach.
Local health officials declined to specify when the center’s funds were depleted or if there are plans for replenishment.
The development comes amid heated discussions about healthcare funding in the Philippines, where out-of-pocket medical expenses remain a huge burden for many families.
Since its establishment, the center has assisted thousands of Boholanos with medical expenses, ranging from basic medication to major surgical procedures.
Boholano residents are now calling for urgent funding restoration to resume the center’s services.