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ni ROSE NOVENARIO
MAY 270 bayan sa Filipinas ang walang doktor at maaaring lalong malagay sa panganib ang kalusugan ng maraming mamamayan dahil sa takot na ang mga manggagamot na naitatalaga sa mga liblib na pook ay maging biktima ng red-tagging gaya nang sinapit ni Dr. Maria Natividad “Doc Naty” Castro.
Si Doc Naty, isang community doctor, dinakip ng mga pulis at militar noong nakaraang Biyernes sa kasong kidnapping at illegal detention bunsod ng akusasyon na siya’y mataas na opisyal ng Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
Ayon sa Community Medicine Practitioners and Advocates Association (COMPASS), sa kabila ng marangal na hangarin ni Doc Naty na maglingkod sa kanayunan, ‘kasuklam-suklam’ ang naging gantimpala sa kanya ng estado.
“Doctors like Doc Naty – those who choose to also treat the ills of society while treating physical diseases – are truly rare. In a system where the extent of health services is influenced by support from the LGU and the whims of politicians, she joined the private sector to broaden her reach of service. And yet despite her noble intentions, she was rewarded by the government in such a despicable manner,” anang COMPASS sa isang kalatas.
Giit ng grupo, ito mismo ang estado na hindi madakip ang sentensiyadong mandarambong at lumalabag sa karapatang pantao ngunit napakadaling sunggaban ang oportunidad ng lantarang pag-aresto sa isang tao na nagbibigay ng kinakailangang serbisyong medikal at sampahan ng mga gawa-gawang kaso.
“The very same State that cannot even arrest convicted plunderers and offenders of human rights can so easily jump at an opportunity to brazenly arrest a person providing much-needed medical services and slap trumped up charges,” pahayag ng COMPASS.
Ito anila ang malungkot na realidad na kinakaharap ng mga doktor sa pampubliko at pribadong sektor sa larangan ng public health at community service.
“This is the sad reality doctors in public and private sector in the field of public health and community service have to face.”
Kaya ang tanong ng COMPASS, paano pa makapagrerekluta ng mga bagong doktor para manatili sa bansa at maglingkod sa 270 ‘doctorless municipalities’ kung nakaamba sa kanila ang pagtrato ng estado kay Doc Naty?
“How can our young doctors decide to stay in our country when they fear that this kind of treatment awaits them just for rendering medical services to the marginalized?”
“How can they be recruited to serve in the 270 doctorless municipalities to attend to our fellow Filipinos, majority of whom are poor and suffer for hours in the heat, sometimes even go without food and sleep, as they line up in our health centers and public hospitals just to get the most basic care desperately needed for their health problems?”
Nanawagan ang COMPASS, Council for Health Development (CHD), UP Manila Community, St. Scholastica’s College HS Batch ’86, Health Action for Human Rights at iba pang mga grupo, sa administrasyong Duterte na kagyat na palayain si Doc Naty at ibasura ang mga isinampang gawa-gawang kaso laban sa doktor.
“Physicians who provide medical attention to the underserved, such as Dr. Dreyfus Perlas, Dr. George Repique, Dr. Avelex Amor and Dr. Mary Rose Sancelan, were government physicians but were senselessly killed for standing up for compassion for the poor, integrity and honesty in government service,” sabi ng COMPASS.
“We call on the government to free Dr. Naty Castro! Hands off our community health workers and doctors! Stop Red-Tagging Health Rights Defenders! End State Impunity!”
Maging ang Department of Health (DOH) ay naglabas ng pahayag na kinikilala at pinahahalagahan ang mga pagsusumikap ni Doc Naty para sa mga napapabayaang populasyon sa bansa.
“Ito po ay isa lamang na gusto naming iparating that we value and we recognize the efforts of our health care workers like Dr. Naty who helps our marginalized populations in the country,” sabi ni Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire sa Laging Handa Public briefing noong Sabado.
