Hospitals, experts back DOH execs accused of mismanaging cancer funds

Several state-run hospitals with cancer speciality services and health experts defended officials of the Department of Health (DOH) who are facing a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman over alleged mismanagement of funds for cancer patients.

In a statement, 20 public hospitals that serve as access sites for the implementation of the Cancer and Supportive-Palliative Medicines Access Program (CSPMAP) said that more than P809 million was allocated to them.

“[We] attest that funds totaling to the amount of P809,408,700 have been allocated to our hospitals and that the said fund has been used efficiently and continues to be used for procurement of cancer medicines for our patients,” they said.

This came after DOH medical officer Dr. Clarito Cairo Jr. accused DOH Undersecretary Beverly Lorraine Ho, former Director IV Anna Guerrero, Director IV Razel Nikka Hao, Director IV Anthony Cu, and doctors Kim Tejano and Jan Aura Laurelle Llevado of grave misconduct, malversation of public funds, and violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

According to Cairo, the sub-allotment of funds for the CSPMAP to selected access sites was highly disadvantageous to the government and a disservice to many CSPMAP-enrolled patients. He claimed that the respondents pursued the sub-allotment of P781 million to only 19 access sites instead of 31.

However, the government hospitals including Jose Reyes Medical Center, Bicol Regional Hospital and Medical Center, East Avenue Medical Center, Western Visayas Medical Center, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, and Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center said they appreciate the support of DOH and the National Integrated Cancer Control Council (NICCC) to their hospitals.

Other signatories were Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center, and Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center, Region 1 Medical Center, Zamboanga City Medical Center, Cagayan Valley Medical Center, Northern Mindanao Medical Center, D Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center, Southern Philippines Medical Center, Batangas Medical Center, Davao Regional Medical Center, Bicol Medical Center, and Cotabato Regional and Medical Center.

“Rest assured that our oncology teams and the rest of our hospitals staff shall continue to work hard and collaborate with the Department of Health in providing the best care and ensuring high quality delivery of healthcare services for our kababayans given the resources we have,” they said.

Meanwhile, non ex-officio members of NICC said in a separate statement that the P786 million fund for CSPMAP was “all accounted for.”

“The decision to sub-allot/transfer the funds to the hospitals was discussed and agreed upon by the Council due to the exigency of providing medicines to patients and to prevent and address gaps in patient treatment,” the health experts said.

Signatories Dr. Samuel Ang of the Surgical Oncology Society of the Philippines, Dr. Rachael Marie Rosario of the Philippine Society of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Dr. Mae Concepcion Dolendo of the Philippine Society of Pediatric Oncology, and Dr. Corazon Ngelangel of the Philippine Cancer Society said they are willing to cooperate with authorities to ensure transparency and accountability of the implementation of the cancer program.

For its part, DOH had said that it acted in the best interest of cancer patients nationwide who are reliant on the agency’s cancer program.

“All the processes undertaken by the DOH, through the cancer program, were unanimously approved by the National Integrated Cancer Control Council,” the agency said.

“And other DOH hospitals alleged to have been excluded from receiving funds were actually provided cancer medicines and cancer assistance funds, which can be used for diagnostics, treatment, and other needed support of cancer patients,” it added. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News