ASEAN
22 March 2014
Impact of Disease on the Philippines’ Development
Poverty usually means increased exposure to infectious diseases and poor health, writes Sophia University's Ralph Catbagan, who explores the case of the Philippines.
Poverty usually means increased exposure to infectious diseases and poorer health, writes Sophia University's Ralph Catbagan, who explores the case of the Philippines.
This goes to the heart of the development challenge. Because the key to a wealthy nation is a healthy nation.
The Philippines may be an archipelago, with more than seven thousand islands. But the reality is that half the country's large population of about 100 million is concentrated in urban centers, like the capital city of Metro Manila with its 12 million inhabitants.
All people need a clean environment, and access to water and sanitation. This is especially the case in very densely populated cities like Manila. But not all Filipinos enjoy such services, and this aggravates their exposure to disease.
Some 40% of the Philippines' urban population lives in slums, and Manila has many slum districts. In these slums, large numbers of Filipinos live on less than what is necessary for subsistence. Indeed, more than 40% of Filipinos live on less than $2 a day, the poverty line for a country like the Philippines.
Urban poverty has become a growing phenomenon as more people are moving from the country into the cities. Manila has also experienced a rise in violent crime. Too many people resort to crime when they are unable to find a sustainable income or an occupation. This creates an added human security risk, with its own health implications.
Living in urban slums is not much better than living in the country. There are many housing units and apartment complexes that accommodate far more than the intended housing occupancy. Buildings are often dilapidated and go for long periods of time without ever receiving proper renovations. Refuse and contaminated water are never dealt with seriously -- which together with poor sanitation means that diseases fester and develop.
Slum-dwellers and the homeless often search garbage piles for valuable items. This puts their lives at risk because they are searching through landfills. They risk the danger of being cut by broken glass and that increases the risk of bacterial infection. Poor people do whatever they can to survive, without concern for their general well-being.
Many Filipino slum-dwellers go through their lives without the necessary inoculations. When these people are struck with disease, there are very few affordable medical options available. Less than 4% of the nation's already low GDP is spent on citizens' health. Sick people from impoverished families are forced to just rest in bed at home. The Philippines only has 5 hospital beds for every 10,000 citizens, much less than countries like Malaysia, Thailand or even Vietnam.
Bad health can thus prevent people from working and contributing to their family’s livelihood. Fortunately, families living in poverty still support each one another, and remittances from overseas family members are very important. Last year, overseas Filipino workers sent home some $24 billion in remittances.
On the other side of the coin, poor working conditions also have an adverse effect on the health of Filipinos. For example, the International Labor Organisation has identified a high incidence of "occupational diseases" in the Philippines. This means the proportion of workers who suffer from an abnormal condition or disorder – other than one resulting from an occupational injury – which is caused by exposure over a period of time to risk factors associated with work activity, such as contact with certain chemicals, inhalation of coal dust, or carrying out repetitive movements.
Lack of efficient law and regulation enforcement is also a common problem which also affects the health of Filipinos. For example, prostitution is a serious crime in the Philippines. But due to lack of law enforcement, as well as a cultural reluctance to use condoms, sexually transmitted diseases like hepatitis A and hepatitis E are now a growing problem. This causes people to suffer from liver failure as well as the degrading effects of hepatitis.
The poor are not the only ones affected. Urban working individuals are too. But it is the poor who suffer most because they are unable to afford medical treatment.
The Philippines is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, especially monsoonal rain and typhoons, which also affect the health of Filipinos. Some streets of Manila, especially in the low-lying slums, are easily flooded. This facilitates the propagation of diseases and infections, like the deadly typhoid fever. In the country side, impoverished Filipinos are also exposed to disasters like landslides in the rainy season, especially those people living in shanty towns and shacks constructed in mountainous areas. All too often they receive little to no aid when disasters occur.
Filipinos living in rural areas are particularly vulnerable to health problems, in part because that is home to the country's deepest poverty. Malnutrition and hunger increase the vulnerability to disease. There is also the risk of contracting dangerous tropical diseases from mosquito bites like dengue fever, whose origins can be traced all the way back to China, and yellow fever.
The manifold health problems of the Philippines are adversely affecting the health and wealth of the economy, not just the health of its citizens. Unhealthy workers are usually lower productivity workers. There is much that could and should be done to tackle these health problems. In particular, there is a great need for reform on multiple levels.
To start off, reform will need to take place within the government, especially by tackling corruption which has an adverse effect on public service delivery and infrastructure construction. The government must improve the nation’s infrastructure, focusing on cleaner water supplies, better filtration for sewage systems, and construction for more irrigated canals to combat flooding.
Providing better sanitation services is a "must-have" for the people of the Philippines to be able prevent the contraction of diseases. Better sanitation will prevent the likelihood for Filipinos to contract fatal diseases especially in the heavily populated urban cities. Law enforcement and regulators for disease control should also be prioritized to secure a better life for the people.
The Philippine education system needs more government support and investment. This is important for the nation's development and above all, the health of the nation. Education is especially necessary regarding the importance of personal hygiene, nutrition, and lifestyle for good health and disease avoidance. This is especially the case for smoking and alcohol consumption.
Sex education is very important for the nation's youth, including measures to minimize the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. The university and national research system should work more on diseases that afflict the Philippines, including the development of vaccines.
NGOs should be given more support and freedom to operate throughout the Philippines. International groups like the Gates Foundation and Doctors Without Borders can make a major contribution, as can local community associations.
For decades now, the Philippines has had one of the weakest records for economic development in Asia. More serious efforts to tackle the nation's health challenges would not only bring immense benefits to Filipino citizens. It would also have an important impact on the health and wealth of the economy.
This goes to the heart of the development challenge. Because the key to a wealthy nation is a healthy nation.
The Philippines may be an archipelago, with more than seven thousand islands. But the reality is that half the country's large population of about 100 million is concentrated in urban centers, like the capital city of Metro Manila with its 12 million inhabitants.
All people need a clean environment, and access to water and sanitation. This is especially the case in very densely populated cities like Manila. But not all Filipinos enjoy such services, and this aggravates their exposure to disease.
Some 40% of the Philippines' urban population lives in slums, and Manila has many slum districts. In these slums, large numbers of Filipinos live on less than what is necessary for subsistence. Indeed, more than 40% of Filipinos live on less than $2 a day, the poverty line for a country like the Philippines.
Urban poverty has become a growing phenomenon as more people are moving from the country into the cities. Manila has also experienced a rise in violent crime. Too many people resort to crime when they are unable to find a sustainable income or an occupation. This creates an added human security risk, with its own health implications.
Living in urban slums is not much better than living in the country. There are many housing units and apartment complexes that accommodate far more than the intended housing occupancy. Buildings are often dilapidated and go for long periods of time without ever receiving proper renovations. Refuse and contaminated water are never dealt with seriously -- which together with poor sanitation means that diseases fester and develop.
Slum-dwellers and the homeless often search garbage piles for valuable items. This puts their lives at risk because they are searching through landfills. They risk the danger of being cut by broken glass and that increases the risk of bacterial infection. Poor people do whatever they can to survive, without concern for their general well-being.
Many Filipino slum-dwellers go through their lives without the necessary inoculations. When these people are struck with disease, there are very few affordable medical options available. Less than 4% of the nation's already low GDP is spent on citizens' health. Sick people from impoverished families are forced to just rest in bed at home. The Philippines only has 5 hospital beds for every 10,000 citizens, much less than countries like Malaysia, Thailand or even Vietnam.
Bad health can thus prevent people from working and contributing to their family’s livelihood. Fortunately, families living in poverty still support each one another, and remittances from overseas family members are very important. Last year, overseas Filipino workers sent home some $24 billion in remittances.
On the other side of the coin, poor working conditions also have an adverse effect on the health of Filipinos. For example, the International Labor Organisation has identified a high incidence of "occupational diseases" in the Philippines. This means the proportion of workers who suffer from an abnormal condition or disorder – other than one resulting from an occupational injury – which is caused by exposure over a period of time to risk factors associated with work activity, such as contact with certain chemicals, inhalation of coal dust, or carrying out repetitive movements.
Lack of efficient law and regulation enforcement is also a common problem which also affects the health of Filipinos. For example, prostitution is a serious crime in the Philippines. But due to lack of law enforcement, as well as a cultural reluctance to use condoms, sexually transmitted diseases like hepatitis A and hepatitis E are now a growing problem. This causes people to suffer from liver failure as well as the degrading effects of hepatitis.
The poor are not the only ones affected. Urban working individuals are too. But it is the poor who suffer most because they are unable to afford medical treatment.
The Philippines is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, especially monsoonal rain and typhoons, which also affect the health of Filipinos. Some streets of Manila, especially in the low-lying slums, are easily flooded. This facilitates the propagation of diseases and infections, like the deadly typhoid fever. In the country side, impoverished Filipinos are also exposed to disasters like landslides in the rainy season, especially those people living in shanty towns and shacks constructed in mountainous areas. All too often they receive little to no aid when disasters occur.
Filipinos living in rural areas are particularly vulnerable to health problems, in part because that is home to the country's deepest poverty. Malnutrition and hunger increase the vulnerability to disease. There is also the risk of contracting dangerous tropical diseases from mosquito bites like dengue fever, whose origins can be traced all the way back to China, and yellow fever.
The manifold health problems of the Philippines are adversely affecting the health and wealth of the economy, not just the health of its citizens. Unhealthy workers are usually lower productivity workers. There is much that could and should be done to tackle these health problems. In particular, there is a great need for reform on multiple levels.
To start off, reform will need to take place within the government, especially by tackling corruption which has an adverse effect on public service delivery and infrastructure construction. The government must improve the nation’s infrastructure, focusing on cleaner water supplies, better filtration for sewage systems, and construction for more irrigated canals to combat flooding.
Providing better sanitation services is a "must-have" for the people of the Philippines to be able prevent the contraction of diseases. Better sanitation will prevent the likelihood for Filipinos to contract fatal diseases especially in the heavily populated urban cities. Law enforcement and regulators for disease control should also be prioritized to secure a better life for the people.
The Philippine education system needs more government support and investment. This is important for the nation's development and above all, the health of the nation. Education is especially necessary regarding the importance of personal hygiene, nutrition, and lifestyle for good health and disease avoidance. This is especially the case for smoking and alcohol consumption.
Sex education is very important for the nation's youth, including measures to minimize the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. The university and national research system should work more on diseases that afflict the Philippines, including the development of vaccines.
NGOs should be given more support and freedom to operate throughout the Philippines. International groups like the Gates Foundation and Doctors Without Borders can make a major contribution, as can local community associations.
For decades now, the Philippines has had one of the weakest records for economic development in Asia. More serious efforts to tackle the nation's health challenges would not only bring immense benefits to Filipino citizens. It would also have an important impact on the health and wealth of the economy.