The U.P. Administration on the growing PGH Crisis: Smile! It's Service as usual!

(Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/)

Editor's note: The following is the official statement of the U.P. Administration on the mass planned leave of absence by the U.P. College of Medicine (UPCM) as posted on the U.P. Administration's official website (http://www.up.edu.ph/features.php?i=196):

Joint Statement from the Philippine General Hospital and UP College of Medicine of UP Manila

IN PGH, IT IS SERVICE AS USUAL!

We have received unconfirmed and unofficial reports that some 40 faculty members of the UP College of Medicine (UPCM), including around 30 with admitting privileges at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) will go on leave beginning today, March 29, 2010.

We would like to assure our patients, students, clients and co-workers that:

1. Services at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) will continue unhampered despite this planned leave of absence by some members of the UP College of Medicine (UPCM) faculty.

UPCM and PGH have around 650 common faculty members. There are about 100 medical specialists; 580 medical officers, 200 fellows, 260 medical interns, 1400 nursing staff and 1200 administrative personnel.

Beginning this Maundy Thursday and up to Easter Sunday, PGH will observe the Holy Week and will not hold outpatient clinics, as is the usual practice. However, the emergency room and wards will continue to serve patients.

2. Academic activities, particularly the conduct of final examinations at the UPCM will proceed as scheduled. The Dean assures the students that the academic calendar will not be affected;

3. Consistent with the University’s policy of respecting our constituents’ right to express their views, the reported leave of absence will be properly evaluated and approved upon submission, subject to existing University rules and regulations.

The cause of this alleged mass action has already been filed before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court. We therefore opt to defer comments on matters sub judice. We urge the complainant to respect the courts.

Again, we want to assure our public that it is SERVICE AS USUAL IN PGH.