A healthcare crisis and solution we can’t ignore

I found myself in three separate medical facilities in one day last week, searching for an available ENT specialist after accidentally poking too hard into my left ear with a cotton bud, causing discomfort. While my health issue was not serious, what disturbed me more was the long line of patients in several clinics of a large private hospital I visited, all waiting to be checked by their doctors.

Hospitals always exude a somber atmosphere for me --the smell of medicine, the sight of patients in discomfort or pain, and their family members, some in line at the cashier, looking sad or serious, likely due to emotional and financial stress. But what I saw firsthand --the long waits and the crowd in particular--was an eye-opener. This was not the scene I saw when I visited the same hospital more than 20 years ago, which has since been redesigned and made even larger.

I posted my observation on social media to make my friends aware of the situation. Since I usually keep things light on social media, I composed my observations in a light-hearted tone. What followed were comments from friends that not only validated what I saw earlier that day but also revealed more about the critical state of our healthcare system.

My friend Zargy shared her personal perspective on the Philippine healthcare system, particularly the struggles experienced in both private and public hospitals. Zargy, who works with an NGO and has had multiple encounters with the healthcare system, mentioned the long wait times in both private and public hospitals, especially in emergency rooms and outpatient departments.

She recounted a 6-8 hour wait at two public hospitals in Metro Manila, where services are affordable and often free with PhilHealth, compared to a ?36,000 bill at a private hospital for a similar case, but with less waiting time. She also mentioned the poor conditions for family members of patients admitted to public hospitals, who often have to wait outside in uncomfortable environments.

Another friend shared her personal experience when her father recently had a stroke and was treated at a premier private hospital in Cebu City. While she commended the quality of care provided by the doctors, she expressed concern about the financial burden to families. “Kung wala’y kwarta or insurance ang mga tawo mamatay g’yud (Without money or insurance, people might not survive their illness)” she said. She also recalled a relative’s experience at a provincial hospital, where the wait time for medical attention was reportedly three days, highlighting the often more difficult situation in public hospitals.

The problems with our healthcare system are critical and we all know they won’t be solved quickly. But it’s surprising that no one, either in the government or the private sector, is making a real and sustained push for preventive healthcare and addressing the root causes of preventable diseases.

We can all learn from Cuba, which, despite its economic marginalization and the US embargo, has maintained an impressive level of healthcare access and outcomes through its emphasis on prevention and community-based healthcare. (De Vos & Stuyft, 2009) Studies have shown how preventive healthcare plays a crucial role in building health stock, which enhances productivity and stimulates economic growth of a country. (Wang, 2018)

In the Philippines, preventing illnesses instead of treating them remains largely ignored. This makes me wonder if there is significant pushback from certain industries and lobby groups that stand to benefit more from a system that prioritizes treatment over prevention.