Docs want ‘sin taxes’ used to hire more docs

MANILA, Philippines–The Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) on Wednesday urged the government to allot funds from the sin tax revenue collections for the recruitment of more healthcare workers and doctors to address the perennial shortage of health workers in the country’s hospitals and health centers.

PCP president Anthony Leachon said it was the PCP’s hope that the sin tax law would benefit health programs that would fill the gaps and shortages in the health workforce to achieve universal healthcare.

“The landmark sin tax law was signed by President Aquino on Dec. 20, 2012, and we have yet to feel the impact of the revenues from [it],” said Leachon.

The sin tax law increased the taxes on the so-called sin products tobacco and alcohol and provides that revenues from sin taxes be use to provide more health benefits for Filipinos.

Leachon said universal health care cannot be achieved without addressing the scarcity of health care workers, mainly primary care physicians.

He cited the Philippine Health Statistics in 2009, which showed that 46.7 percent of deaths among Filipinos were unattended by a medical doctor or health provider.

He also noted that as of 2013, only 3,000 physicians work in public health facilities, out of the 66,000 registered with the Professional Regulation Commission and practicing their profession.

Out of the 500,000 registered nurses and 74,000 midwives, only 5,000 and 17,000, respectively, are serving in state-run hospitals and health centers.

The figures translate to 2.3 healthcare workers per 10,000 population, 10 times less than what the World Health Organization has recommended to meet the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, particularly on maternal and child health, said Leachon.