MANILA, Philippines – Her doctor claims she needs to travel to save her life, but an executive of the Philippines’ largest doctors’ association thinks otherwise.

Traveling, in fact, can even worsen former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s condition, said Philippine Medical Association (PMA) general assembly chair Dr Leo Olarte on Friday, August 24. He was reacting to a claim by Mrs Arroyo’s doctor that she needs overseas treatment for her “aggressive, progressive” bone problem.

Olarte told Rappler that Mrs Arroyo is now “on the road to recuperation” in relation to her cervical spine surgery in July 2011. He said her cervical spine, which is now aided by a titanium implant, would need another 6 months to be stable.

Fitted in her spine during that operation, her titanium implant causes her current “life-threatening” condition, claimed her physician Dr Roberto Anastacio. A cardiologist, Anastacio said Mrs Arroyo has “no option” but to have this worsening condition treated abroad. “I would not wait until she cannot travel,” he said.

But Olarte said the conditions associated with traveling – like sudden brakes and humps on the road – can hamper the former president’s recovery. “Mayayanig masyado ang kanyang leeg,” said Olarte, an orthopedic surgeon. (Her neck can be affected.)

“’Yung kanya kasing kondisyon ay dapat hindi laging magta-travel. Nakikita natin siya laging nagta-travel sa Lubao sa Pampanga, sa Tagaytay. Masama ‘yon para sa kanyang kondisyon,” he explained. (People with her condition shouldn’t always be traveling. We always see her traveling to Lubao in Pampaganga, to Tagaytay. That’s bad for her condition.)

For critics, seeking treatment abroad could be Mrs Arroyo’s escape from separate electoral sabotage, plunder, and graft charges that are hounding her. She is now bound by 3 hold-departure orders in connection to these cases. 

Life-threatening?

Olarte said Mrs Arroyo, for now, needs to rest at home, do physical therapy, and remain careful about her food.

He also refuted Anastacio’s claim that Mrs Arroyo’s condition is life-threatening. In earlier medical bulletins, Anastacio explained why it supposedly is. (Read: GMA’s life-thretening condition revealed.)

“Batay sa aking obserbasyon sa kanya, sa telebisyon, panay travel, at talagang nakangiti siya at nagbibigay ng talumpati doon sa distrito niya sa Pampanga, paakbay-akbay pa siya doon sa kanyang mga kababayan. Masasabi natin na hindi delikado ang kanyang kalagayan,” he said, citing his “clinical eye.”

(Based on my observation of her, on television, she keeps traveling, and she gives this wide smile and delivers speeches in her district in Pampanga, and wraps her arms around her townmates. We can say her condition is not dangerous.)

Olarte admitted, nonetheless, that Mrs Arroyo’s condition should be “guarded.”

Busy Arroyo

Mrs Arroyo, however, has kept herself busy since she tasted temporary freedom from hospital arrest at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) last July 25.

While Anastacio claimed she had a life-threatening condition even when she was under hospital arrest, Mrs Arroyo kept traveling after her release. A day after she posted bail, she immediately went to Tagaytay to seek “alternative treatment” for her condition.

The day after this, July 27, she returned to VMMC for an unscheduled physical therapy session. She headed to Pampanga on the same day.

On July 31, she surprised fellow solons and attended a congressional session for the first time in months. She then said she’s “not physically and emotionally ready for surgery.” “It can be substituted in the meantime. I’m quoting from the medical bulletin. The substitute for now is intenstive physical therapy,” Mrs Arroyo said.

In one of her latest public appearances, Mrs Arroyo distributed relief goods in Pampanga, which was declared under state of calamity due to the recent monsoon rain.

Treatment in PH

Meanwhile, Olarte addressed Anastacio’s concern that Mrs Arroyo needs not just doctors, but a “complete support structure” that includes biomedical engineers and neurophysiologists. “Meron tayo dito sa Pilipinas niyan. Besides, hindi pa naman kailangang operahan ngayon,” Olarte said. (We have those in the Philippines. Besides, she doesn’t need an operation now.)

He also said Filipino doctors respect Mrs Arroyo’s option to choose the physician she wants.

“Pero huwag lang sana gamitin ang katwiran na kaya siya pupunta sa labas ay dahil walang doktor (sa Pilipinas) na magagaling at marunong gumamot sa kanyang kondisyon,” Olarte explained. “Sa totoo lang marami tayong espesyalista na makakagamot sa kanyang kalagayan, at mga ospital na fully equipped for her condition.”

(But she shouldn’t use the excuse that she is leaving the country because there there are no doctors in the Philippines who are skilled and knowledgeable in addressing her condition… Truth is, we have many specialists who can remedy her concerns, and hospitals that are fully equipped for her condition.)

Earlier this week, the PMA summoned Mrs Arroyo’s doctor, Anastacio, for claiming she needs urgent medical treatment abroad because of the lack of competent physicians in the Philippines. Olarte said Anastacio should stick to his expertise, cardiology, and not diagnose conditions related to orthopedics.

The PMA, however, will no longer investigate Anastacio because he has apologized to their group. Olarte said Anastacio claimed to be misquoted by media. – Rappler.com

For related articles, read:

• Timeline: Arroyo and her electoral sabotage case
• Sandiganbayan: Why was Arroyo released?
• Arroyo bail: Forgive and forget?
• Arroyo, 9 others charged with plunder
• Comelec broke rules to charge Arroyo
• Graft court summons Arroyo doctors
• Court stops plunder hearing vs Arroyo
• Witness vs Arroyo credible, says Comelec