ON World Health Day on April 7, an international assembly spotlighted a critical, ongoing crisis: the inaccessibility of healthcare that disproportionately affects women, such as those in the Philippines. This crisis, born out of decades of privatization and low government prioritization, paints a grim picture of a system where health is not a universal right but a privilege for those who can afford it.
In our country, the reality is that the majority of healthcare facilities are privatized, leaving the public health sector struggling under the weight of inadequate funding. This financial strain results in overstretched healthcare workers, deteriorating facilities, and a scarcity of essential medical supplies. The impact of these systemic failures falls heavily on women, particularly those from lower-income households. They are often thrust into the role of primary caregivers, a position that comes at the expense of their own health due to the prohibitive costs associated with treatment and medical procedures.
The situation is especially dire for pregnant women, who face significant obstacles in accessing prenatal care. Economic barriers lead to delayed first-time maternal check-ups, exacerbating risks to both mothers and their unborn children. At the height of the pandemic, the fragility of the healthcare system was revealed as overwhelmed hospitals turned away pregnant women, leading to preventable fatalities. This tragic outcome underscores the ultimate price paid due to healthcare inaccessibility: the loss of life.
The trend of increasing maternal mortality rates, with an alarming average of 85 women dying in childbirth per month in 2023, shows the consequences of a healthcare system marred by privatization and neglect. Such statistics are a somber reminder of the real human cost of policies that prioritize profit over people’s health and well-being.
This is what happens when healthcare is treated as a commodity rather than a right. The high cost of healthcare inaccessibility is a price too steep and too cruel to continue to pay.
