MANILA, Philippines- Nagdurusa ang Philippine healthcare system mula sa kakapusan ng 27,500 registered pharmacists, kaakibat ang hamon sa availability ng mga pharmacy sa ilang lugar sa bansa.
Sa naging pag-uulat ng Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) hinggil sa sitwasyon, tinukoy nito ang data mula sa 8th Healthcare Sector kasama si Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sa Palasyo ng Malakanyang, araw ng Huwebes, Marso 6, 2025.
Nakatuon ang miting sa reporma sa polisiya at strategic initiatives para palakasin ang ‘healthcare accessibility at resilience.’
“Data from the meeting revealed a shortage of 27,500 registered pharmacists alongside geographical disparity in terms of distribution of existing pharmacies, prompting the need for innovative solutions to improve medicine availability,” ang sinabi ng PSAC.
Sa October 2021 interview, sa panahon ng COVID-19 pandemic, sinabi ng Department of Health (DOH) na nahaharap ang Pilipinas sa kakapusan ng 14,000 pharmacists, maliban pa sa kahalintulad na hamon kasama ang doktor, nars at iba pang health care workers.
Inihambing ang data mula sa PSAC report, ang kakapusan ng bilang ng pharmacists sa bansa ay nakikitang namamaga.
At upang matugunan ang problema, sinabi ng PSAC na suportado nito ang pagpapalawak sa community pharmacies, partikular na sa ‘underserved regions’ para paghusayin ang access ng mga Pinoy sa mga lubhang mahalagang medisina.
“One potential measure being explored, referred to by PSAC as a regulatory sandbox approach, is to allow licensed pharmacists to oversee multiple pharmacies remotely. This could be done using telepharmacy services and by enhancing the role of pharmacy assistants,” ang sinabi ng PSAC.
Para naman sa problema na kinahaharap ng health care sector, sinabi ng PSAC na mayroon itong panukalang hospital licensing at physical facility standards para mapabilis ang pagtatatag ng bagong mga ospital at iba pang healthcare facilities.”
“The council recommends a shift to outcome-based regulations, which would streamline hospital renewal processes and promote network-based healthcare models for better resource distribution. This reform is crucial, as the country faces a hospital bed deficit amid increasing demand,” ang sinabi ng PSAC.
Tinuran pa ng PSAC, pinuri ni Pangulong Marcos ang pagsisikap ng council, binigyang-diin ang papel ng pribadong sektor sa paghahatid ng healthcare reforms para sa mga Pinoy.
Ang PSAC ay “government advisory body formed to provide inputs on best ways to grow the economy, to include generating employment as well as investments, given the crucial role of the private sector in the country’s economic development.”
“We are working towards a more equitable and sustainable healthcare system,” ang sinabi naman ni Paolo Borromeo, PSAC Healthcare sector lead at AC Health chief executive officer.
“Collaboration between the government and private sector is key to ensuring that every Filipino, regardless of financial standing, has access to quality healthcare,” ang dagdag na pahayag ni Borromeo. Kris Jose
