ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL GERIATRIC MEDICAL CENTER

 ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL GERIATRIC MEDICAL CENTER

The Philippines has established itself as a leader in providing specialized healthcare services through its national centers of excellence. Institutions such as the Philippine Heart Center, the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, the National Orthopedic Hospital, and the Philippine Children's Medical Center (PCMC) have long served as benchmarks in their respective fields. However, a glaring gap remains: the absence of a National Geriatric Medical Center (NGMC).

While the country does have a National Center for Geriatric Health (NCGH), it is merely an outpatient clinic attached to the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRRMMC). Without its own independent infrastructure and dedicated funding, the NCGH struggles to meet the growing demands of our aging population. Patients requiring inpatient care are left competing with other patients for hospital beds, exacerbating the burden on JRRMMC's resources.

A Missed Opportunity

Over the years, lawmakers have introduced several bills to establish a National Geriatric Medical Center, yet none have progressed beyond the committee level. This lack of legislative support reflects a troubling underappreciation of geriatric care needs, despite the rapidly increasing number of senior citizens.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), there will be an estimated 11.7 million senior citizens by 2025, rising to 16.8 million by 2035. The demand for specialized geriatric care will only intensify as the population ages. Establishing an NGMC would be a significant step toward ensuring the dignity and well-being of our elderly.

Geriatric Age: Defining the Scope

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines geriatric age as starting at 65 years. However, in the Philippines, the legal definition of a senior citizen begins at 60 years under the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 (Republic Act No. 9994). In the interest of clarity and inclusivity, it is reasonable to align our definition of geriatric age with our existing laws and recognize age 60 and above for geriatric care services.

Why We Need a National Geriatric Medical Center

1.   Independent Operations and Budget: The NGMC should operate as an independent institution with its own budgetary allocation from Congress. This autonomy will ensure focused management and effective service delivery.

2.   Specialized Research and Training: Like other centers of excellence, the NGMC should establish a research division to advance studies in geriatric medicine. It should also serve as a teaching hospital to train healthcare professionals in the specialized care of elderly patients.

3.   Referral and Outreach System: An electronic referral network should be established to allow public and private hospitals to refer geriatric patients to the NGMC, streamlining access to specialized care.

4.   Robust Outpatient and Inpatient Services: The center should have a fully equipped outpatient department, as well as ample inpatient facilities to cater to both acute and long-term geriatric care needs.

5.   Telemedicine Capabilities: To bridge the geographical divide, the NGMC should implement a telemedicine program that provides remote consultations and follow-ups, ensuring access to healthcare for senior citizens in underserved regions.

A Call to Action

Countries like Japan, Sweden, and Germany have established world-class geriatric care systems, recognizing the importance of addressing the complex health challenges faced by their aging populations. The Philippines must follow suit.

Senate Bill No. 27, filed by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., envisions the creation of a National Center for Geriatric Health and Research Institute (NCGHRI), which would serve as the nation’s leading teaching and research hospital specializing in geriatric care. Additionally, various House bills have proposed the creation of regional geriatric centers. Such initiatives deserve our full support. We could pick up from where he left off.

Our elderly have dedicated their lives to building this nation. It is now our responsibility to ensure that they receive the care and respect they deserve. Establishing the National Geriatric Medical Center is not only a healthcare imperative – it is a moral one.

Let us urge our lawmakers to prioritize the health and well-being of our senior citizens. The time to act is now.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres

iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282, senseneres.blogspot.com

05-08-2025

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

HOW IS THE CRIME RATE COMPUTED IN THE PHILIPPINES?

HOW IS THE CRIME RATE COMPUTED IN THE PHILIPPINES? When we talk about the crime rate in the Philippines, we often assume that the figures we see are accurate reflections of reality. But have we ever paused to ask—how exactly is the crime rate computed? Where does this data come from, and how reliable is it? The computation of the crime rate in the Philippines is officially handled by the Philippine National Police (PNP). The formula itself is straightforward: Crime Rate = (Total Reported Crimes / Total Population) x 100,000 This simple equation gives us the number of crimes per 100,000 people, allowing for fair comparison across regions and time periods. However, the reality behind these numbers is more complex than it appears. Data from the Ground The foundation of our national crime rate is empirical data collected at the grassroots level—from individual police stations scattered across the country. Every reported crime is logged in local police blotters, forming the buil...
Read more

GREY AREAS IN GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS

GREY AREAS IN GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS Dear Mr. President: May I ask who is going to be the arbiter or referee whenever there are overlaps in functions between two or more government agencies? I imagine that there would be no problem if these agencies would just cooperate and collaborate with each other, but what if they are unable to settle their differences and they would just end up throwing blame at each other or finger pointing at each other? Allow me to cite some examples. Who is supposed to take the lead in waste to energy projects? Is it supposed to be the DENR that is supposed to handle waste? Or is it supposed to be the DOE that is supposed to handle energy generation? Or is it supposed to be the DILG since it is the one that could direct or influence the waste to energy projects of LGUs? Who is supposed to take the lead in producing and promoting the use of biofuels? Is it supposed to be the DA, since the production of biofuels is supposed to be all about planting biofuel ...
Read more

LOCALIZED FREE AMBULANCE SERVICES

LOCALIZED FREE AMBULANCE SERVICES As it is supposed to be, anyone in the Philippines should be able to dial 911, and a telephone operator should be able to dispatch fire, rescue, ambulance and police (FRAP) units as soon as possible, based on acceptable response times. I invented the FRAP acronym for easy recall, and I hope it sticks, if there is no other alternative. Unfortunately, due to a mixture of technical and political reasons, the Philippines has not adopted 911 as a national number, because some LGUs would rather use their own three-digit numbers such as 117 and 168. I actually proposed a technical solution to that problem, but it was not adopted either. For whatever it is worth, my solution is to install a call forwarding system that could route all calls to a central operator, regardless of what number is dialed. It is very sad for me to know that up to now, even if our country is already over one hundred years old, there are still many LGUs that do not have fire trucks. it ...
Read more