WHO is committed to whom?

April 26, 2023

FEATURES

The World Health Organization is supposed to be the lead global institution for health. But it is too easily influenced by powerful HICs and big private institutions in the programs they implement. The COVID-19 vaccine profits they raked in are just the most recent example of this.

In 2021: Poorest Regions, Least Healthworkers

April 19, 2023

The country’s health worker distribution for 2021 showed none of the regions met the SDG recommended ratio of 44.5 HRH per 10k population. Furthermore, it exposed health worker disparity in poorer regions, making health care less accessible to Filipinos who may need it more.

Philippines’ Declining Healthworker Ratio

April 19, 2023

Not only did the country’s regions fail to reach the SDG index threshold ratio of Human Resources for Health (HRH) per 10,000 population; the country’s HRH ratio has also been declining since 2016.

Underperforming PhilHealth favored over public services in gov’t health budget – IBON

September 21, 2022

The Marcos Jr administration’s proposed 2023 budget neglects direct health services and programs that are accessible for ordinary Filipinos. Instead, it’s choosing to allot even more funds for health privatization and the underperforming PhilHealth.

Global COVID-19 Vaccine Inequality

May 27, 2022

Chronically ailing PH public health system under Duterte

April 7, 2022

FEATURES

Duterte has not taken significant measures that will strengthen the public health system and make health services accessible and equitable to the Filipino people.

Duterte administration’s shift to MECQ meaningless without urgent COVID-19 steps

August 20, 2021

The government has announced the easing of community quarantines. But new cases are still rising and there are no signs of government taking additional measures to fix the health system during the last two weeks of stricter lockdowns. If the health system is as weak as ever, what’s our way out of the pandemic?

Helped Filipinos? Too few helped, too little given

July 25, 2021

The people’s and nation’s needs amid a public health emergency and economic crisis are huge, but government help stayed stingy while spending big on infrastructure, the military and debt-servicing.

The TRIPS waiver on Covid-19 pharmaceuticals and the Big Pharma

June 2, 2021

There is a raging debate about whether or not the WTO should temporarily waive some intellectual property rights of Covid-19 pharmaceuticals. Developed countries oppose the proposal, but recently the US has announced its limited support, while the EU continues to wrangle over its necessity. For proponents, the waiver would speed up and scale up vaccine production and contribute to a faster vaccination process in poorer countries.