Congratulations to "Northerner" for starting this thread. As a doctor with an interest in the Philippines I can only say that I'm kept humble and continue to learn from this forum, and I'm not about to offer a solution. "Free" healthcare for all is of course the ideal; in the UK the NHS provides treatment for everyone which is largely free at the point of delivery but is paid for by taxation. However, even in this country, as new and expensive treatments such as cancer drugs become available, decisions have to be made about what can be afforded. This can lead to "postcode lotteries" where a given drug may or may not be available depending on where the patient lives. How much is the taxpayer prepared to pay for health ; should there be a hypothecated tax solely for health ? We've just been reminded in today's news that nearly a million people in the world, mainly young children, die from malaria each year and far more resources are needed for prevention and treatment of malaria. That's not fair, nor is the situation in the Philippines fair, but thanks again for making us think about these matters.
