SONA: Must Highlight Health
I have heard a lot of SONA's in the past and yet, as far as I can remember, I have yet to hear a President talk about his or her comprehensive strategy towards the uplifting of our health situation as a nation. To put it bluntly, I have not encountered any Filipino president who has his or her heart set on prioritizing health. I am bitching about it not only because I am a doctor but because it is a personal conviction that the success of a country lies on how optimal its state of health as a nation. The Philippines is literally a sick nation. While there have been some improvements done regarding maternal deaths and infant deaths for example, a lot can still be done. I can't help but have this feeling that there is something that is keeping us from moving forward as a nation when it comes to Health care. As far as I see it, there are basically 3 problem areas that are keeping us from improving our health care system. Problem No. 1: Human resources. The Philippines is the No. 1...