Cancer survivor group New Vois Association of
the Philippines (NVAP) welcomes the Duterte administration's move to send a
delegation to Cuba to study its world-renowned public health system in a bid to
improve health services being offered to Filipinos.
A contingent of health professionals led by
Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial is currently in the Latin American
country to meet with their Cuban counterparts.
NVAP President Emer Rojas said there is so
much that the Philippines can learn from the Cuban health care system, which is
recognized even by the World Health Organization for its efficiency in making
health services available to all.
Despite the country's limited resources,
health care in Cuba is free and universal. Health is a fundamental right that
is enshrined in their constitution and guaranteed by the state.
Rojas said the Philippines can take
inspiration from the Cuban model considering that access to health services is
a huge problem in the country.
"It is estimated that 63% of Filipinos
die without ever seeing a doctor and many do not have access to medicines
specially in rural areas. By taking inspiration from Cuba's health care, we
hope that access to health services will improve under the Duterte
administration," Rojas said.
Rojas noted that Cuba's public health system
is mainly anchored on preventive health care which enables the country to use
its limited resources to research and development resulting to quality medical
services.
"They have family doctors per area who oversea
the health of families living around clinics. They do annual checkups and
assessments for free. By doing these the system prevents people from getting
sick and resources are used for other purposes like improving training for
medical practitioners and technology development," the NVAP president
said.
Rojas, a global cancer ambassador and persons
with disability sector representative for the National Anti-Poverty Commission,
said improving the country's public health system would greatly benefit smokers
and PWDs who are two of the most disadvantaged sectors when it comes to
accessing medical services.
Rojas noted that despite an improved
membership enrolment by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation
(PhilHealth) access to health care services is still limited to paying patients
and health facilities mostly located in urban areas.
"Improving health care accessibility is
an essential part of development. We are happy that the Duterte administration
is taking the step in the right direction," he said.
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