People’s health is our nation’s wealth: implications of the Philippine medical tourism industry on the public health system.

Abstract

The Philippines has become a top competitor in the medical tourism industry. Philippine Medical Tourism Program was established during Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration to reverse brain drain, increase employment in the health sector, set international hospital standards, and modernize hospitals. Most of the hospitals associated with the Philippine Medical Tourism Program are privately owned. In order for these five government-owned hospitals to achieve global status, they undergo privatization which poses a detrimental effect to the public health system in the country. The public health sector is already deteriorating because of privatization and corporatization of government hospitals, misallocation of national budget, and devolution of health systems, among others and the medical tourism industry will only add more burden to the health system in the country.