Essential medicine

By +Oscar V. Cruz D. D.

“Hormonal contraceptive intrauterine devices, injectibles and other reproductive health products and supplies shall be considered under the category of essential medicines and supplies which shall form part of the National Drug Formulary and the same shall be included in the purchase of essential medicines and supplies of all national and local hospitals and other government health units.”

Thus says the “Reproductive Health Bill,” which in truth exactly means the opposite as it is a proposed legislation that is categorically against human reproduction. The right and truthful title of the pursued law should be simply “Depopulation Bill,” instead of the long winded title of “An Act Providing for a National Policy on Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population development, and for other Purposes.”

If the Bill were only true to what its kilometric titles says, then alone and by itself, the Bill would be enough to make the Philippines a paradise and the Filipinos a blissful people. It is interesting to note that its authors and proponents call their opponents nothing more than a bunch of liars an ignoramus breed.

In reality however, there is something downright misleading if not exceptionally sinister in the Bill that qualifies hormonal contraceptives, intrauterine devices, injectibles and other similar items as nothing less than “essential medicines.” The following more relevant observations are in conjunction with such an exalted qualifying attribution of contraceptive drugs and devices:

First, since when have contraceptives become “medicine”? Medical products are meant to cure a sickness. Since when is contraception categorized as a sickness that should be prevented or cured?

Second, since when have contraceptives become “essential”? Something is essential if without it, nothing is even possible. This would mean that without contraceptives, health would be impossible, sickness and death would be inevitable!

And finally, since contraceptives could become no less than “essential medicines,” would there be also “essential medicines,” to cure the cancer, tumor and other sicknesses contraceptive drugs and devices cause specially in women who are the standard targets as well as usual victims of artificial contraception?

Since depopulation is the honest to goodness basic intention and ultimate finality of the Bill, here is a list of unsolicited advice its authors and proponents might want to consider instead:

See to it there is less and less rice in the market.

Urge manufacturers to continue raising the prices of their products and at the same time, counter all moves to raise salaries and wages.

Make sure that honest to goodness essential medicines are either not available or too costly to buy.

Apparently, the over-all result of all these moves would be more deaths and less population—even without legalizing contraception, which can even waste billions of people’s hard-earned money.

(Readers may reach columnist at punch.sunday@gmail.com.For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/viewpoints/ For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)

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