Lack of government support for liver centre lamented

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Lack of government support for liver centre lamented

Web posted at: 12/28/2008 6:21:56

Source ::: philippine star

Manila: Senator Pia Cayetano lamented that the lack of government support has

sidelined a multi-sectoral effort to put up the country’s first public liver

centre to save millions of Filipinos suffering from various forms of liver

ailment.

“It’s disheartening to know that the project hasn’t taken off while millions of

Filipinos are afflicted with hepatitis B, cirrhosis and liver cancer,” Cayetano

said.

Since 2005, the senator, liver research pioneer Dr Ernesto Domingo and the

Gastroenterology Section of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) have

spearheaded efforts to put up a liver clinic and laboratory facility which would

serve the poor at the country’s premier tertiary hospital.

The facility was envisioned to become the core of a fully equipped national

liver center at the PGH compound in Manila. But the lack of funds has prevented

the project from taking off.

Cayetano cited as another major setback the number of liver surgeons who have

decided to leave the country for greener pastures abroad. “Some of our liver

surgeons who got their training abroad came back to the country in the hope of

practicing their specialty here. But due to the lack of facilities like a liver

center, they have decided to bring their skills elsewhere,” she said.

“We can’t blame these doctors for leaving because many of them are actually

willing to stay and serve. It is government’s responsibility to provide the

venue to allow them to practice. In my trips to public hospitals, especially in

the provinces, I’ve observed how even tertiary medical facilities lack basic

equipment.”

Cayetano also lamented that all of her congressional allocations under the PDAF

(Priority Development Assistance Fund) for the project have been withheld by the

Department of Budget and Management (DBM) since 2005.

“The liver center would have provided services, including assistance, laboratory

testing, vaccination and medicine. It was also envisioned to serve as a research

and training center for doctors,” she said.

Citing estimates from the Hepatology Society of the Philippines, Cayetano said

the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B among Filipinos has doubled, from eight

percent of the population 10 years ago to 16 percent of the population today.

Statistics from the Philippine Cancer Society rank liver cancer as the third

most common form of cancer among men and sixth among women.

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Lack of government support for liver centre lamented

Web posted at: 12/28/2008 6:21:56

Source ::: philippine star

Manila: Senator Pia Cayetano lamented that the lack of government support has

sidelined a multi-sectoral effort to put up the country’s first public liver

centre to save millions of Filipinos suffering from various forms of liver

ailment.

“It’s disheartening to know that the project hasn’t taken off while millions of

Filipinos are afflicted with hepatitis B, cirrhosis and liver cancer,” Cayetano

said.

Since 2005, the senator, liver research pioneer Dr Ernesto Domingo and the

Gastroenterology Section of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) have

spearheaded efforts to put up a liver clinic and laboratory facility which would

serve the poor at the country’s premier tertiary hospital.

The facility was envisioned to become the core of a fully equipped national

liver center at the PGH compound in Manila. But the lack of funds has prevented

the project from taking off.

Cayetano cited as another major setback the number of liver surgeons who have

decided to leave the country for greener pastures abroad. “Some of our liver

surgeons who got their training abroad came back to the country in the hope of

practicing their specialty here. But due to the lack of facilities like a liver

center, they have decided to bring their skills elsewhere,” she said.

“We can’t blame these doctors for leaving because many of them are actually

willing to stay and serve. It is government’s responsibility to provide the

venue to allow them to practice. In my trips to public hospitals, especially in

the provinces, I’ve observed how even tertiary medical facilities lack basic

equipment.”

Cayetano also lamented that all of her congressional allocations under the PDAF

(Priority Development Assistance Fund) for the project have been withheld by the

Department of Budget and Management (DBM) since 2005.

“The liver center would have provided services, including assistance, laboratory

testing, vaccination and medicine. It was also envisioned to serve as a research

and training center for doctors,” she said.

Citing estimates from the Hepatology Society of the Philippines, Cayetano said

the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B among Filipinos has doubled, from eight

percent of the population 10 years ago to 16 percent of the population today.

Statistics from the Philippine Cancer Society rank liver cancer as the third

most common form of cancer among men and sixth among women.