The House committee on health on Monday approved the creation of a technical working group (TWG) that will consolidate all cancer-related measures.
The committee chaired by Rep. Angelina Tan (4th District, Quezon) also approved the draft committee report on the substitute bill to House Bill No. 180 titled “Providing compassionate and right of access to medical cannabis and expanding research into its medicinal properties” authored by Rep. Rodolfo Albano III (1st District, Isabela).
It also tackled House Bill (HB) 4161 requiring post-graduate physicians and new medical specialists to render six months of medical service in local health facilities.
The TWG chaired by Rep. Sandra Eriguel (2nd District, La Union) will consolidate HBs 268, 716, 897, 1578, 1851, 1964, 2579, 2798, 3089, 3365, 3441, 3497, 3500, 4707, 5378, 5387, 5763, 6153, 6210, 6280 and 6299, House Resolution 786 and Privilege Speech No. 195.
The bills aim to establish cancer treatment facilities; provide health insurance coverage and government support for cancer patients; institutionalize a cancer prevention and control program; and raise public awareness regarding cancer.
During the hearing, Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles (1st District, Davao City) said his HB 6210 seeks to create the National Integrated Cancer Control Advisory Board, the National Integrated Cancer Control Program, and cancer care centers; push for capacity development; and provide more PhilHealth benefits for cancer patients and access to better medication and health care services of the Department of Health (DOH).
Reps. Evelina Escudero and Maria Vida Bravo (1st District, Masbate), authors of HB 3441, said their measure seeks to set up a financial assistance fund for all cancer patients.
“Most of the cancer patients do not have enough funds to provide for their sickness,” said Escudero.
Rep. Winston Castelo (2nd District, Quezon City) said government intervention against cancer can come in the form of research and financial support, subsidy and treatment.
World Health Organization statistics show there are about eight million cancer-related deaths worldwide compared to 1.5 million deaths due to tuberculosis and HIV.
Meanwhile, the committee also tackled HB 4161 of Rep. Rogelio Espina M.D. (Lone District, Biliran) that seeks to mandate six months of medical service in local health facilities for post-graduate physicians and new medical specialists.
Espina said there are 66,000 physicians in the country, but only 14,129 are working in 778 public hospitals and other medical facilities. He also said 47.6 percent of deaths among Filipinos were unattended by a medical doctor or an allied health provider.
DOH Health Human Resource Development Bureau director Elvira Dayrit said, “There is no systematic management of the medical residency training program. Lahat po ng specialists iba-ibang society ang nagde-determine ng training at nag-a-accredit ng hospital kung saan sila magte-training. It is fragmented and governed by a specialist societies with varying quality and no collaboration with each other.” / EAG | HOR-PR
