HRW launches world report, says Marcos rights gains fall short; Bloomberg investigation finds World Bank-funded Ayala hospitals in Philippines detaining patients, denying them care if they fail to pay
Jan. 17, 2025: Philippines human rights news
HRW WORLD REPORT 2025
Philippines: Marcos Rights Gains Fall Short | Human Rights Watch
World Report 2025: Philippines | Human Rights Watch
Retreat and Resistance in Dark Times | Human Rights Watch
HEALTH
World Bank-Funded Hospitals in Africa, Asia Detained Patients and Denied Care - Bloomberg
AYALA'S HOSPITALS DETAIN PATIENTS OR DENY THEM CARE IF THEY CAN'T PAY BILLS -- BLOOMBERG REPORT
Bloomberg, the international financial news agency, just released an explosive investigative report about how World Bank-funded private hospitals in poor countries are abusing patients by detaining them or denying them care if they cannot pay their bills. THE PHILIPPINES FEATURES PROMINENTLY IN THE REPORT, with cases from hospitals owned by Ayala Corporation, specifically the Qualimed hospitals in Nuvali and in Bulacan.
The report says: "Instead of helping those most in need, the (World Bank)’s health initiative has exacerbated a two-tier system in which wealthier clients get first-class care in hospitals that sometimes resemble high-end hotels, while low-income patients face abusive debt-collection tactics or denial of life-saving care altogether, a Bloomberg News investigation has found.
"One hospital in the Philippines, part of a company that received a $100 million IFC loan, cut off some medications to a patient who could not walk after he fell behind on payments and kept him there for six days until he settled a $12,000 bill, the man said. Some families said that corpses of relatives were held at IFC-backed hospitals until they could pull together sufficient funds."
