THERE'S a prevailing disbelief among many about the free hospitalization for the poor. Where will government get the money? It may sound like bragging, but yes, it has been done in Davao City and this is how it works.
Free hospitalization assures that the poor are not billed anything. But there may be times when they will be given a prescription that's not available in the hospital pharmacy and must then go out and find where the medicine is available.
This is where the other groups come in. Aside from this type of groups, there are other groups that provide shelter for the poor who have to stay in the city while a patient is confined or while a patient waits out a few days to be given a second, third or fourth treatment like the House of Hope for children with cancer, the Capernum House for the indigents, and the Balay Dangpanan home for indigenous peoples. The city also provided the shelter for the watchers, while the National Government funds the hospital operations and allocates budget for its upgrade. Being given shelter, however, does not mean everything's provided. Like in the House of Hope, there is no food there because the idea is, whether they are at home or in the hospital, they have to provide food for themselves.
Plus, the residents are responsible for cleaning the place. It's their counterpart, their assigned role. After all, this is about helping, not crippling the capabilities and self-esteem of the poor.
The general scenario actually is that the free hospitalization is for those who cannot or can no longer afford hospitalization. Of course, there will be no private rooms for this, there will be wards, well-kept ones although on the tight side. Those who can afford pay for the extra space and the quiet they can enjoy in private or semi-private rooms, while the healthy ones who can afford share their blessings as a thanksgiving for not being in the position of having to need help.
Bottomline, it's a community thing. Those who have the means will not deprive those who do not have when seeking health services and share when they do not have the need. No one takes advantage of the other. The beneficiaries in turn go home with gratitude in their hearts and a willingness to take part in the community in their own small way. Some in the most basic way by not violating laws. The children with cancer who get cured, return every year to inspire those who are still undergoing treatment, as their means to pay back.
The overall picture is that of people living in peace in a community that can provide the basics with their dignity intact and a fighting chance to be better when the odds are against them. The challenge then is how to grow from there and produce more of the good that has been planted.
For as long as the general populace, however, remains with the mindset of greed, then free hospitalization will not work for long. The resources will be exhausted, and the poor will become destitute and moribund, stripped of their very souls, some made virtual attack dogs of oligarchs tied down forever with the "utang na loob" of patronage politics.
Free hospitalization is but an inducement, a call to the people to do their part because government is.