My thoughts on the PhilStar Editorial on Medical Tourism
View the previous post and the original Philippine Star editorial here.
Allow me to comment on your timely Editorial on Medical Tourism to which I will add my SANGKUSING worth.
I fully agree with your opinion on the matter but I suggest we look at the issue on a broader perspective.
You mention that the Philippines is lagging behind Thailand, India and Singapore in medical tourism. Thailand, the top earner in tourism, medical or otherwise, is at the moment being flooded and under water. Bangkok is distracted on this revenue-generating endeavor. Tourists are being diverted to other sites. The ball is in the hands of DOT Secretary Ramon Jimenez.
I cannot disagree with your comment that Singapore has positioned itself as the center for advanced medical and pharmaceutical research. But the stories being told of the efficiency and affordability of medical treatment in India, is only partly true. With a population of 1.2 billion mostly hungry souls, similar to our country, a great majority is poor and cannot afford the services of the high-end medical centers. India’s priority is really to reach the masses in the far flung areas. India’s young techies are moving from running the back rooms of Western companies, to invading the front rooms of Indian companies, which are offering innovative, low-cost solutions for India’s problems. To be a medical tourism destination is secondary.
As stated, the Philippines has enough competent specialists and other health professionals to deal with various ailments, including optional cosmetic concerns. Our tertiary care centers are gearing up to take care of serious inpatients that may hopefully include foreigners. New medical centers are being built while those existing are being upgraded. But what is lacking is affordable medical services that can be accessed by the 90% dispersed over our 7000 islands.
Like India, if we put our thrust in health care to low cost primary, alternative and preventive care that is backed up by fresh creative IT applications, eventually we will not need to promote and market tourism anymore. Malnutrition that affects mental retardation will be alleviated. Then, we will already find ways and be able to lift ourselves by our boot straps.
