For JRU Use Only Trends and Issues in Social Sciences

MODULE #: The Philippine Health Problems

Overview
- The WHO refers to the Filipino Healthcare System as “fragmented.” There is a history of unfair and
unequal access to health services that significantly affects the poor. The government spends little money
on the program which causes high out of pocket spending and further widens the gap between rich and
poor. Out of the 90 million people living in the Philippines, many do not get access to basic care. The
country has a high maternal and newborn mortality rate, and a high fertility rate. This creates problems
for those who have especially limited access to this basic care or for those living in generally poor
health conditions. Many Filipinos face diseases such as Tuberculosis, Dengue, Malaria and HIV/AIDS.
These diseases pair with protein-energy malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies that are becoming
increasingly common. The population is affected by a high prevalence of obesity along with heart
disease. Healthcare in the Philippines suffers from a shortage of human medical resources, especially
doctors. This makes the system run slower and less efficiently.

Learning Outcomes (3 Domains)

After the completion of this module, students are expected to:

1. (Cognitive) The student will be able to identify the health problems in our country, as demonstrated
verbally or in writing, with 100% accuracy.
2. (Affective) Contribute meaningfully to class discussion by identifying their own questions about the
readings.
3. (Psychomotor) Give contributions on how the country’s health system can cope up with its issues.

Lesson 1 – (Subtopics)

INDICATORS OF HEALTH - Indicator also termed as Index or Variable is only an indication of a given
situation or a reflection of that situation. Health Indicator is a variable, susceptible to direct measurement that
reflects the state of health of persons in a community. Indicators help to measure the extent to which the
objectives and targets of a program are being attained. Numerical indication of the health of a given population
derived from a specified composite formula. Health status indicators measure different aspects of the health of a
population. Examples include life expectancy, infant mortality, disability or chronic disease rates. Health
determinant indicators measure things that influence health. Examples include diet, smoking, water quality,
income and access to health services. Uses of Health Indicators: Measurement of the health of the community.
Description of the health of the community. Comparison of the health of different communities. Identification of
health needs and prioritizing them. Evaluation of health services. Planning and allocation of health resources.
Measurement of health successes.

THE PROBLEM AND CAUSES OF POOR HEALTH CONDITION - Poor health worldwide are
inextricably linked. The causes of poor health for millions globally are rooted in political, social and economic
injustices. Poverty is both a cause and a consequence of poor health. Poverty increases the chances of poor
health. Poor health, in turn, traps communities in poverty. Infectious and neglected tropical diseases kill and
weaken millions of the poorest and most vulnerable people each year. Very poor and vulnerable people may
have to make harsh choices knowingly putting their health at risk because they cannot see their children go
hungry, for example. The cultural and social barriers faced by marginalized groups, including indigenous
communities can mean they use health services less, with serious consequences for their health. This perpetuates
their disproportionate levels of poverty. The cost of doctors’ fees, a course of drugs and transport to reach a
health center can be devastating, both for an individual and their relatives who need to care for them or help
them reach and pay for treatment. In the worst cases, the burden of illness may mean that families sell their
property, take children out of school to earn a living or even start begging. The burden of caring is often taken
on by a female relative, who may have to give up her education as a result, or take on waged work to help meet

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the household’s costs. Missing out on education has long-term implications for a woman’s opportunities later in
life and for her own health. Overcrowded and poor living conditions can contribute to the spread of airborne
diseases such as tuberculosis and respiratory infections such as pneumonia. Reliance on open fires or traditional
stoves can lead to deadly indoor air pollution. A lack of food, clean water and sanitation can also be fatal.

THE EFFECTS OF HEALTH CONDITION - Some health problems are more serious than others and
conditions affect people in different ways. The impact that multiple health problems have on individuals might
vary according to how well their conditions are controlled. The causes of a person’s illnesses, whether they can
be explained or not, might also influence the impact on them. Having multiple health conditions can affect
people’s ability to work and limit what they can do in their social lives. Things like pain, low mood, mobility,
finance problems, fatigue, etc. can all be made worse with multiple conditions. It may be possible to cope well
with one or two conditions but because everything mounts up, it makes each smaller thing so much harder to
cope with. Multiple contacts with the health service might also put people at increased risk of harm or
unintended consequences. Also, Excess weight, especially obesity, diminishes almost every aspect of health,
from reproductive and respiratory function to memory and mood. Obesity increases the risk of several
debilitating, and deadly diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. It does this through a
variety of pathways, some as straightforward as the mechanical stress of carrying extra pounds and some
involving complex changes in hormones and metabolism. Obesity decreases the quality and length of life, and
increases individual, national, and global healthcare costs.

HEALTH EXPENDITURE - Includes all expenditures for the provision of health services, family planning
activities, nutrition activities and emergency aid designated for health, but it excludes the provision of drinking
water and sanitation. Health financing is a critical component of health systems. National health accounts
provide a large set of indicators based on information about expenditure collected within an internationally
recognized framework. These accounts are a synthesis of the financing and spending flows recorded in a health
system's operation, from funding sources and agents to the distribution of funds between providers and functions
of health systems.

GENERAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE ON HEALTH AS A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL

GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE - This indicator is defined as the level of general government expenditure
on health (GGHE) expressed as a percentage of total government expenditure. It shows the weight of public
spending on health within the total value of public sector operations. This indicator includes not just the
resources channeled through government budgets, but also the expenditures channeled through government
entities for health by parastatals, extra budgetary entities and, notably, compulsory health insurance. The
indicator refers to resources collected and pooled by public agencies, including all revenue modalities.

TOTAL EXPENDITURE ON HEALTH AS A PERCENTAGE OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT

(GDP) - This indicator is defined as the level of total expenditure on health expressed as a percentage of GDP,
where GDP is the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. It provides
information on the level of resources channeled to health, relative to a country's wealth.

PER CAPITA TOTAL EXPENDITURE ON HEALTH - This indicator is defined as the per capita total
expenditure on health, expressed at the average exchange rate for that year in US$. It shows the total
expenditure on health relative to the beneficiary population, expressed in US$ to facilitate international
comparisons.

HEALTH FACILITIES AND MANPOWER - New economic pressures that are transforming the traditional
structure and financing of health services are affecting as well both the numbers and practice arrangements of
health professionals. Recent trends in health professions education and practice suggest that the tremendous
growth experienced over the last decades in response to federal incentives is coming to an end. While current
training levels will keep the supply of health professionals growing for some time, the latest data available
reveal a modest tapering of numbers and change in the types of individuals trained as well as shifts in the
composition of resources supporting education. The decade of the 1980s will be noted as a period of transition
throughout the health sector. Health professionals play a central and critical role in improving access and
quality health care for the population. They provide essential services that promote health, prevent diseases and

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deliver health care services to individuals, families and communities based on the primary health care approach.
Mechanisms for optimizing the strengths and skills of health professionals will be essential to achieving the
Millennium Development Goals.

HEALTH DELIVERY SYSTEM - With regard to healthcare, the Philippine Government has been looking at
ways to achieve 100% enrolment to PhilHealth by 2020. One of the means is by mandating all Filipinos to
enroll to PhilHealth. Currently, PhilHealth's coverage is at about 92%. An ageing population, urbanization, and
the rising middle class have led to an increasing demand for healthcare services, as more people can afford
quality healthcare. Due to the huge gap in the Philippines' healthcare delivery system, abundant opportunities
are available for key private participants to invest in the healthcare sector. Private hospitals, pharmaceutical
producers, and healthcare IT companies are expanding into the Philippines market, partially owing to the
recently launched AEC.

Lack of infrastructure and human resources is putting a strain on the healthcare delivery system in the
Philippines. The bed-to-population ratio is quite low and there is still a huge gap in the number of doctors and
nurses required to cater to the needs of the growing population. The healthcare delivery system in the
Philippines is dominated by the public sector (regional, provincial, municipal, and barangay level) while being
supported by private healthcare service providers. The implementation of Universal Health Care (UHC) is
already driving the demand across all sectors of healthcare. However, the Philippines still requires a strong
focus on infrastructure and skilled manpower.

The shortage of qualified personnel is a huge problem, especially in high-skill fields such as radiology. The
private sector is playing a huge role in helping the government address the gaps in healthcare services. Generics
is evolving into a huge market due to the demand for low-cost medicine and strong government support.
Production of raw materials for medicines is now 100% open to foreign ownership, creating an opportunity for
the Philippines to emerge as a regional raw materials manufacturing hub. Areas such as healthcare technology
and diagnostics, that can improve access to health information for making better healthcare choices, are growing
faster.

Learning Outcomes

1. (Cognitive) The students will be able to understand the functions of every subtopic that were given
above and why is it important to learn
2. (Affective) Can interestingly participate to class conversation or forum by recognizing their own
inquiries concerning the articles provided to them.
3. (Psychomotor) Give a reflection or able to accomplish a couple of quizzes about the main topic and
subtopics.

Course Materials:

 Read the Article: (same as the links below)

 Watch video with this link: (Hard to find any videos. I don’t have one. )

Assessment:

- The assessment that will be used in this module will be reflection papers, quizzes, think-pair-share, &
an open-ended question that gets them writing or talking.

References:

- https://borgenproject.org/healthcare-in-the-philippines/
- https://healthtalk.org/multimorbidities/the-personal-impact-of-multiple-health-
problems#:~:text=Having%20multiple%20health%20conditions%20can,finance%20problems%2C%20
fatigue%2C%20etc.

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For JRU Use Only Trends and Issues in Social Sciences

- https://www.healthpovertyaction.org/news-events/key-facts-poverty-and-poor-
health/#:~:text=The%20causes%20of%20poor%20health,turn%2C%20traps%20communities%20in%2
0poverty.
- https://www.slideshare.net/drbharatpaul/indicators-of-health
- https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-consequences/health-effects/
- https://www.who.int/data/nutrition/nlis/info/health-
expenditure#:~:text=Health%20expenditure%20includes%20all%20expenditures,critical%20component
%20of%20health%20systems.
- https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-philippines-transformational-healthcare-insights-2016-
300481170.html
- https://www.who.int/teams/health-workforce/health-professions-networks/

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