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More often than not, we do not fully realize the different issues in the Philippine health care system because it is masked with what we see in the developed parts of our country. The sad reality is that inequities exist and it is growing at an alarming rate, leading to poor health outcomes and affecting the poorest of our people. It's about time that we look BEYOND the statistics and listen to their stories.

HEAL the RP.

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Recent statistics show that 62% of our country’s doctors migrate to other countries for better opportunities. There are numerous reasons for this massive unmanaged migration of health workers, one of them being that medical education is expensive with low return of investment given the economic condition of the Philippines. What is saddening is that with the 38% who have decided to stay and serve our people, 90% are found in urban areas. This means that only 10% of the doctors that we currently have serve rural areas - a sizable 52% of our population. The poor suffer more because there aren’t enough doctors to cure their illnesses. sources: HealthDev Institute and NSO Filipinos from rural areas do not have the ability to acquire basic goods and services for themselves. Tough economic conditions, weak peace and order situations, even something as simple as rough roads hinder them from having access to basic health services. The Department of Health’s decision to decentralize health care in 1992 brought about the devolution of health services from the national government to local government units. The LGUs now have the responsibility of providing healthcare to their respective communities. Imagine how hard most rural-dwellers have it if their LGUs don’t prioritize health care, add to that the fact that their budgets might not be enough to cover basic services to begin with. Not only do the poor suffer from adverse health conditions, they also face more serious consequences as a result of ill health. As my public health professor would put it: No one should die because they cannot afford health care, and no one should go broke because they get sick.

Recent statistics show that 62% of our country’s doctors migrate to other countries for better opportunities. There are numerous reasons for this massive unmanaged migration of health workers, one of them being that medical education is expensive with low return of investment given the economic condition of the Philippines.

What is saddening is that with the 38% who have decided to stay and serve our people, 90% are found in urban areas. This means that only 10% of the doctors that we currently have serve rural areas - a sizable 52% of our population. The poor suffer more because there aren’t enough doctors to cure their illnesses.

distribution of RP doctors

sources: HealthDev Institute and NSO

Filipinos from rural areas do not have the ability to acquire basic goods and services for themselves. Tough economic conditions, weak peace and order situations, even something as simple as rough roads hinder them from having access to basic health services. The Department of Health’s decision to decentralize health care in 1992 brought about the devolution of health services from the national government to local government units. The LGUs now have the responsibility of providing healthcare to their respective communities. Imagine how hard most rural-dwellers have it if their LGUs don’t prioritize health care, add to that the fact that their budgets might not be enough to cover basic services to begin with. Not only do the poor suffer from adverse health conditions, they also face more serious consequences as a result of ill health.

As my public health professor would put it: No one should die because they cannot afford health care, and no one should go broke because they get sick.

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