Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Editorial

Making Philippine Environment Physician Friendly *

* Induction Message of Dr. Jose Asa Sabili Vice Pres. Philippine Medical Assoc. (PMA) delivered on the Induction program of the Aklan Medical Society on August 5, 2005, Kalibo, Aklan.

Greetings!

Colleague, friends, a pleasant evening to all of you.
It is indeed my great honor and pleasure to represent the office of the PMA President and at the same time be with you beloved and progressive doctors of this vibrant medical society, the Aklan Medical Society. Though, we cannot get together as much as we want, few hours with you, may not be enough to convey our program of governance for our beloved association, rest assure that we will value your support in the attainment of our goal.
With the increasing number of problems in our country, we in the medical community have a share like the others sectors in the society. Future shortage of doctors in our country is among them, aggravated by rapidly rising costs of medical education, low compensation and benefits especially those in the government sector and exodus of our beloved brothers and sisters into other profession like the nursing profession.
We also have special friends in the house of Congress and Senate who always sponsor “honorable bills” like the Medical Malpractice Bills, Patient Right Bills con Penalty and Value Added Too Much Taxation Bills.
When we represented our association in both houses, we told them, Mr. Honorable Senators and Congressmen, “You want us to stay in our beloved country, please make the environment here more friendly to our beloved Filipino doctors, please reject and abolish these Anti Doctors – Anti Patient Malpractice Bills and Bills on Patient Right with Penalty. Please increase the salary of government doctors at par or more than their counterpart in the judiciary, please pass the medical act of 2004, please provide ample security to our beloved health workers deployed in the high risk areas of the country, and please give due importance to the contribution and sense of patriotism of our Filipino doctors in the delivery of the basic health services in our country.
Although we have internal conflict and problems within our association, please be assured my dear beloved members, that with our collective efforts for unity and progress we will attain our goal.
The Philippine Medical Association under our leadership will continue to strengthen our program on Continuing Medical Education, Legislation, Ethics, Mutual Aid & Benefits and Membership Program in order to attain our goal, to make PMA more vibrant, more relevant, more united and more progressive.
Please allow me to quote from the message of our PMA President Dr. Modesto Llamas, some very important things he wanted to impart to you.
PMA has to be reformed and reform is underway. The winds of change have started blowing across the PMA. Full speed ahead for all our programs to transform PMA to a stronger, more authoritative and a more relevant organization. This reform has to start here at the component society level the basic unit of the PMA, the real strength of the PMA.
We can only say that we have accomplished our goal, by the end of our terms:
1. When Congress consults us before filing Health Bills;
2. When people start looking up to PMA, for answer on health issues;
3. When we regain dignity of the profession; and
4. When we feel proud to be members of the PMA.
Allow me to thank God for the so many blessings we got from Him, our PMA is more than 100 years now, we do hope and pray that the best is yet to come for Filipino doctors.
Mabuhay and PMA. /MP http://madyaas_pen @yahoo.com

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