DOH urged to allow foreign doctors to serve in PH hospitals
Published Jun 13, 2023 03:40 am
Senator Francis Tolentino on Tuesday, June 13, urged the Department of Health (DOH) to study the possibility of allowing foreign doctors to practice in the country for a limited period.
In his weekly radio program, Tolentino explained that the local medical industry would definitely benefit from allowing foreign doctors to practice locally “for a brief period,” not only when it comes to exchange of ideas, but also on the aspect of "transfer of technology."
According to the senator, there are plenty of doctors from overseas who are signifying to conduct medical practice in the country, but the current protective policy prevents them from doing so.
He also cited his experience during the aftermath of the devastation of super typhoon Yolanda in November 2013, in which a group of French and Spanish physicians from Doctors Without Borders approached him on ground zero in Tacloban City, telling him that even though they want to treat critical patients, they were only allowed to administer first aid procedure since they don’t have licenses to practice in the Philippines.
Health Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa, who was Tolentino’s guest during the program, acknowledged the senator’s observations.
Herbosa noted his previous experience when he worked in Malaysia as a visiting professor in a medical university where the Philippine medical license and his accreditation with the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) are enough for Herbosa to practice medicine there.
“Ang sinubmit ko lang ay yung lisensya ko sa Pilipinas, yung membership ko sa (Philippine Medical Association), yung curriculum vitae ko, tapos ni-review nila (They reviewed my Philippine Medical Association (PMA) membership and.curriculum vitae). Tapos kaunting interview, tapos binigyan ako ng temporary license in the hospital doon sa (National University of Malaysia),Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, (After a brief interview, I was given a temporary license in a hospital in the National University off Malaysia),” said Herbosa.
Herbosa said he would talk with the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) on the possibility of relaxing the current licensing rules to allow foreign doctors to temporarily practice their profession in the Philippines.