Government vows to improve health care system

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang yesterday said the Aquino administration is doing its best to improve the country’s health care system, which it hopes will translate into better services and remove the Philippines’ derogatory tag as one of the worst places to die in the world.

According to the 2015 Quality of Death study index, the Philippines lacks government-led strategy for the development and promotion of national palliative care services – making Manila as the worst place to die, next to war-torn Iraq and Bangladesh.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said although the government has programs for palliative care, its major thrust is having universal health care.

She said they want a wider coverage of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

“We are improving the services of PhilHealth, and the number of health issues under its coverage has increased,” Valte told dzRB.

The government reformed the PhilHealth system, and authorities removed the discretion on certain illnesses and standardized the range of diseases covered.

“We now have the Z benefits package targeting the more widespread illnesses,” Valte said.

Currently, PhilHealth has 100 percent coverage for indigent Filipinos.

Valte added that the government is also improving public hospitals and rural health units “so that better care can be given to those who go to these institutions for health care.”