PhilHealth urged: Subsidize smoking cessation

MANILA, Philippines - An anti-tobacco group has asked the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to subsidize smoking cessation treatment to help those who want to quit the habit.

Maricar Limpin, executive director of the Framework Convention of Tobacco Control Alliance, said there are only a few cessation clinics in the country despite the huge impact of smoking on a person’s health.

“We need to expand the cessation program, especially in government facilities, to make it available and accessible to the people. Majority of the clinics are in Metro Manila, depriving those in the provinces of help if they want to quit smoking,” she said in an interview.

Among these hospitals are Dr. Jose Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Caloocan City, Amang Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Marikina, Rizal Medical Center in Pasig City, San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital in Malabon City, the Philippine General Hospital in Manila, and the Lung Center of the Philippines, Philippine Heart Center, National Children’s Hospital, and Quirino Memorial Medical Center, all in Quezon City.

Limpin said the smoking cessation program does not only entail mere education and information, as those “severely addicted” also need to undergo detoxification, medication and extensive counseling.

“This requires expertise and pharmacologic treatment. Smoking cessation pertains to having the infrastructure, the medicine, the trained personnel who will do the counseling, and doctors who will administer the medication, among others,” said Limpin, former president of the Philippine College of Chest Physicians.

If the smoking cessation treatment is covered by PhilHealth, it will not only encourage smokers to quit but will also encourage local government units to put up cessation clinics.

There are two types of medications given to prevent smokers from experiencing withdrawal symptoms like drooling, chilling and irritability. These are the nicotine replacement therapy and tablets which would both cost a smoker at least P100 a day.

Cigarettes are addictive because of their nicotine content, which stimulates dopamine, an important neurotransmitter in the brain that arouses the feeling of pleasure, thus making the body crave for nicotine.

Limpin said cigarettes are addictive like prohibited or regulated drugs, so those hooked need help to quit.

“We hope this could be included by PhilHealth in its benefit packages. But it should not be 100-percent free because if it is free, it will be easy for smokers to go back to this deadly habit,” she said.