These facts will give you a chance to start planning about your family’s health care system.
In 2017, the Philippines ranked 60th out of 191 countries in the World Health Organization's Ranking of the World's Health System and ranked 120th out of 195 countries according to a study written by B. Kritz (2017) published in Manila Times because of a poor access to and quality of health care for the cure of diseases that can easily be prevented.
Causes of Death Rates in PH
According to the Global Burden Disease Study of 2015 conducted by medical practitioners, the high the mortality rates in the Philippines are due to 32 diseases, majority of which are respiratory infections.
Limited Access to Health Care
The Philippines consists of over 90 million people
The Philippines has over 90 million people with the majority of the population having limited access to proper basic care because of poor living condition.
The result of the Global Burden Disease Study of 2015 showed that the Philippines scored a total of 52 out of 100.
The low scores came from treatment of:
The reasonable scores came from treatment of:
PH Health Care System as a Work in Progress
According to Oxford Business Group’s article titled The Philippine Government Expands Health Care Coverage (2018), WHO labeled the country’s healthcare financing system back in 2012 as “fragmented with insufficient government investment, inappropriate incentives from providers, weak social protection and high inequity.” But the government is continuously enhancing the programs to secure the coverages, especially for the lower sector.
Fisherman
Drivers
Laborers
Farmers
HMOs came up with micro-health plans that only costs Php 36. It targets and benefist the working force including fishermen, drivers, farmers, and laborers. Within the conditions of the plans, doctors are prohibited to quote private rates when a patient goes beyond the maximum limit per illness/injury per year and will only charge by the contractual rate agreed upon with the HMO (The Philippine Government Expands Health Care Coverage, 2018).
HIV Awareness
There is a continuous development in maternal health care and child health care in the country from 2013 to 2017. There are more satisfied demands for post-delivery care while more children are provided with proper vaccination in the previous year. These advancements have decreased deaths of mothers and babies throughout the years. However, there needs to be an urgent response to the lack of knowledge about HIV prevention among young people.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, Only 1 (20%) in 5 young women have comprehensive knowledge of HIV prevention. With young women from the Ilocos and Cagayan Valley regions are less knowledgeable about HIV prevention compared to their counterparts in other regions.
Poor Lifestyle Choices
Lastly, many diseases in the Philippines are due to lifestyle choices. Studies show there is prevalence in illnesses, such as Tuberculosis, Dengue, Malaria, and HIV/AIDS to name a few. These illnesses also come with protein-energy malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. Surveys show that there is also an increase in Obesity with heart disease.
Increasing Morbidity
Tuberculosis
Heart Disease
HIV/AIDS
Obesity
Malnutrition
Malaria
Dengue
The country might have a long way to go to perfect its healthcare system, but one great lifestyle choice you can make is to look for ways how you can secure you and your family’s health and wellness. It’s time for YOU to make the first step to achieve this because one’s healthcare should not depend on anyone else but on oneself. Explore healthcare options as early as now with Allianz PNB Life Insurance.
Kenworthy, K. (2017). 10 Facts About Healthcare in the Philippines. The Borgen Project. Retrieved from here.
Tandon, A., Murray, C., Lauer, J. & Evans, D. (2017). Measuring Overall Health System Performance for 191 Countries. Retrieved from here.
Oxford Business Group. (2018). Philippines Government Expands Health Care Coverage. Retrieved from here.
Kritz, B. (2017). PH an ‘Underachiever’ in Health Care. The Manila Times. Retrieved from here.
Philippine Statistics Authority. (2018). Philippines National Demographic and Health Survey 2017 Key Indicators Report. Retrieved from here.