It's because I'm looking for a phone that I became a member of several "online marketplaces", looking for possible sellers of a second-hand item of the phone I've been looking for.
As I go deeper in the site, I noticed some of the advertisements stating that they are selling theirs because it's either they don't want the item anymore, or it's stuck and is unused anymore. Some even go for upgrading. A few digging and a series of advertisements struck me -
Selling *item* for *price*, may sakit lang po kasi si Mama. (My mom is sick.)
The items for sale are of no joke - branded, and seem to be new and functional. However, as compared to the brand new price, they cost even less than half of the original price. Way lower. And because of this, everyone are in a frenzy of haggling even more for the items. Haggling even with the knowledge that his mother is sick.
We are in a developing country. It may seem to be forever developing, but at least, we still are. The country collects taxes to be used for the people, and with the Sin Tax bill being implemented in the Philippines, additional taxes can be collected. However, it seems like these taxes are never really felt by the people.
Healthcare is one of the things that I think is of less importance in our government. The budget allocation for healthcare is way lower as compared to other aspects of our government. Using data from the government, I have concluded before that if every person in the country got sick and is admitted to a government hospital, the budget allocation for each is just 100 pesos, which is just a bottle of intravenous fluid. And, if that patient has no health insurance, what happens?
Healthcare is one of the problems that normal people like us encounter today. Not all of us can afford to have a CT scan, nor some of the medicines available in the market. What if a single CT scan can have you diagnosed and save you from death, and you don't have the money to have it done, what happens? Do you simply die? What if a poor person just endures the pain of having a sickness because he would rather use the money for his family's food? What if, a middle-class family begins to sell their properties just for treatment, with no assurance of wellness?
We need a reformation. And now, I pose a challenge to the government.
1. Do allocate more in the health sector, taxes are collected from the people for government expenditure. Give more funds to hospitals.
2. Control prices of medicines and supplies in both government and private hospitals.
3. Regulate the professional fees that private doctors ask from their patients.
4. Increase the workforce, especially healthcare professionals to avoid understaffing. Give them proper salaries to provide for their own family. Abolish training programs.
5. Expand the health insurance coverage.
I would not like a poor person just to die because they have been deprived of treatment. I wouldn't like to see a person enduring the pain just to avoid expenses. I wouldn't like families being miserable and going bankrupt because of increasing healthcare expenditures. Most of all, I would not like to see hope-filled people dying because of inaccessible and unattainable healthcare.
Heed my plea.
P.S.: To that person selling his items, I hope for your mother to be well.
 |
| Health is also a basic need, for us and for them. |
Labels: health, Personal, Philippines
