Pamugas explained that the health sector would be more vigilant in monitoring and addressing attacks on the rights of medical practitioners and health advocates like Doc Ogie.
“We would be monitoring closely the developments in these trumped-up charges against our colleague who has done nothing but serve the poor since he took the doctor’s oath,” Pamugas said.
In a statement, Dr. Geneve Rivera, secretary general of the Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) condemned the Arroyo administration for the attacks against Doc Ogie and other health activists.
“The case of Dr. Ogie Gimenez doesn’t only manifest the government’s desperation. It is also sending the message that patriotic health professionals and workers who chose to stay and serve the poor are deemed as enemies of the state,” she said.
Rivera added that this is a clear denial of much needed services to the poor which the Arroyo administration fails to provide.
Doc Ogie is the current vice-chairperson of HEAD-Cebu and a board member of the Community Medicine Development Foundation, Inc. (COMMED).
Not an easy path
Asked about what message he wants to convey to his fellow health professionals all over the country, he said, “While most of my colleagues are conventionally based in curative centers, such as private and government hospitals and clinics, there are others, like me who chose to enter the field of Community Medicine.”
In both perspectives though, Doc Ogie added that the ideals for a better health care for Filipinos are hopefully the guiding and working principles.
Doc Ogie, in closing, added that there is a Visayan religious song that kept ringing in his ears since these attacks against him started. It reads, “dili sayon ang pagsunod kang Kristo, daghang tunok ang maagian mo.” (It’s not easy to follow Christ, you’ll pass through many thorns.)(Bulatlat.com)
