Improving Access to Medicines in the Philippines through Multi-Stakeholder Partnership

I. Introduction

The 1987 Philippine Constitution recognizes health as a basic human right, including reasonable access to medicines. The availability, prices, and affordability of medicines are crucial indicators of the quality of health services. Challenges in access to medicines in the country include low availability in both public and private sectors, high costs, and affordability issues, leading to significant out-of-pocket expenses for Filipino families. Despite government initiatives to promote generic drugs and centralize procurement, many still struggle to afford standard treatments.

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II. Identifying the Challenges

The fragmented Philippine healthcare system, with a dual delivery system through public and private sectors, results in management capacity issues and duplication of processes, hindering effective healthcare delivery. The archipelagic nature of the Philippines poses distribution challenges, especially to geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas. These areas face physical and socio-economic barriers to accessing basic health services, highlighting the need for innovative solutions and multi-stakeholder partnerships to improve medicine access.

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