Health
From The Report: Philippines 2021
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The Philippines’ universal health care (UHC) system is now operative, after President Rodrigo Duterte signed the bill into law in February 2019 and Francisco Duque III, the secretary of health, signed the implementing rules and regulations in October that year. This set the stage for 2020 to be the first year of UHC, strengthened by collaboration and the expertise of the private sector. Limited financing and a shortage of medical personnel remain legacy constraints on the system, with wide-ranging strategies to tackle both communicable diseases and non-communicable diseases among the growing population. Although the Covid-19 pandemic placed further pressure on health care infrastructure, the government forged ahead with its goal, deploying resources to priority areas as funds and capacity allowed. The private sector stepped up to fill some of the remaining gaps, and greater levels of cooperation between public and private actors are expected as UHC gains momentum. This chapters contains an interview with Eugenio Ramos, President and CEO, The Medical City.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Expanded coverage: The pandemic response and ongoing challenges necessitate a collaborative approach across the entire sector
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After years of planning the Philippines’ universal health care (UHC) system is operative, strengthened by collaboration and the expertise of the private sector. The mandate to expand preventive and primary care to a growing population is wide, with a range of strategies to tackle both communicable diseases and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Limited financing and a shortage of medical personnel remain legacy constraints on the system, while the Covid-19 pandemic placed further pressure…

Analysis

Work the plan: Universal care goes into effect as the authorities focus on mitigating the impact of the pandemic
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The Universal Health Care (UHC) Bill was signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte in February 2019, with the implementing rules and regulations approved in October by Francisco Duque III, the secretary of health. This set the stage for 2020 to be the Philippines’ first year of UHC. Although many stakeholders knew that the system would need time to mature, the unexpected arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic in the first quarter of the year drastically shifted health and economic priorities. Funding In…

Interview

Addressing the gaps: Eugenio Ramos, President and CEO, The Medical City, on using resources efficiently to the benefit of the population
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Interview:Eugenio Ramos What strategies can help tackle issues that undermine the state of public health? EUGENIO RAMOS: The state of living conditions among some of the population generate health problems, from poor sanitary conditions to limited sex education and substance abuse. These have to be addressed in parallel with improving the current state of public health. The country has overlooked the crucial importance of public awareness with regard to taking personal responsibility for…