Philippine Medical Tourism: Boon or Burden

Monday, 16 August 2010 00:00

Written by Jess Ang

Medical Tourism is visiting other countries, mainly developing countries, with the purpose to obtain health care such as surgical procedures to save money, as well as enjoy the natural beauty of the country during the period of recovery.

Since the late 1990s, there has been a great influx of medical tourists from the US and Europe who travel to developing countries such as India, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia. The Philippine government in 2004 enacted laws to pave the way for medical tourism. Currently, the leading medical tourism enterprises are St. Luke’s Hospital, Asian Hospital, and Medical City. These hospitals offer various surgeries such as cardio bypass, eye surgery, hip/knee replacement and kidney transplant. Medical spa clinics offer cosmetic and bariatric surgeries as well as spa services highlighted by traditional massages as well as wellness seminars.

While this new phase of tourism promotion will lead to increase spending by tourists, certain areas need to be addressed to not alienate our people who lack access to healthcare. Philippine medical facilities and medical personnel should not only benefit foreigners but all Filipinos.

It is a known fact that the Philippine government spends less than $2/yr for each Filipino. Our health care services is only 2%-3% of our GDP while it is a prerequisite of any progressive nation to spend at least 5%-6% of its GNP. Vietnam spends 6%. It is a sad reality that 40% of our population are below poverty level, and thereby having no access to preventive and tertiary care.

It is a known fact that certain medications in local towns can only be authorized by mayors and not by provincial health officers who can be relieved or transferred on the whim of the elected official. The current set up is open to frequent abuses where medicines are denied to genuinely ill patients who support political candidates opposing incumbents.

It is a sad reality that patients are arbitrarily detained if they are not able to pay their medical bills at discharge. Medical tests and medications are not provided if the patient cannot pay. It was a tragedy when able bodied citizens of our village sold one of their kidneys for a meager amount to unscrupulous organ traffickers due to lack of government oversight. While wealthy medical tourists reaped health benefits from these kidneys, the Filipino donors became more prone to illnesses and burdened with healthcare costs far exceeding the price of their kidneys.

For medical tourism to be well received by our people, social responsibility and access to healthcare should be its vision, along with the promotion of our physician’s surgical skills and appreciation of our country’s natural beauty. The hospitals involved should provide funds for emergency medications and not deny admission to those who need urgent care simply because they cannot pay for diagnostic tests. The physicians involved can donate part of their surgical practice to do surgical missions in provincial hospitals who lack surgeons and funding. Our overseas physicians can also provide funding to these projects. The government can provide incentives by making these services tax deductible as charity donations.

I also propose a 10% surcharge on these medical tour packages and the funds for such tours to be managed by a quasi private/government board. Their main function would be to fund preventative care in poverty-stricken areas with special care to children’s nutrition and contagious diseases.

If these measures are accepted and implemented by all responsible sectors, then I along with other Filipinos will greatly welcome medical tourism.

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