Could we blame the people for doing so? Let us just hope that the A/H1N1 virus does not enter the country. Because if it does, how could we prevent its spread when 44 million Filipinos struggle to survive on P18 to P44 ($0.38 to $0.93 at the May 9, 2009 exchange rate of $1=P47.25) per day? How could we stop it from contaminating people when respiratory diseases are increasing and are among the top illnesses affecting the Filipino people, and the malnutrition situation in the country, as described by a UNICEF representative in 2006, is ‘devastating’? How could the people practice proper hygiene when families are cramped in small quarters in urban poor communities? How could Filipinos cope with the infection when, according to a October 2008 survey of IBON foundation 78 percent rated themselves as poor, 75 percent said they have difficulties buying food and 68 percent said they have difficulties buying medicines and paying for medical treatment?

Despite the best efforts of the DoH, how could it cope if and when a swine flu pandemic reaches our shores if, based on the 2009 budget, government health spending is only around P0.83 ($0.017) per person per day, the allocation for disease prevention and control is only P4.51 billion ($95,449,735), of which only P161.73 million ($3,422,857) is allotted for monitoring and surveillance of diseases and outbreaks? Furthermore, subsidies for indigent patients for confinement in specialty hospitals and for the use of specialized equipment is only P6 million ($126,984).
The 70,000 capsules of Tamiflu stockpiled by the DoH would merely benefit 3,888 persons if taken every six hours for three days.

Cuba is confident that it can contain the spread of A/H1N1 virus if and when it enters the country because of its universally-accessible health care system. Cuba has one of the best health care systems in the world. There is a doctor-nurse team in every neighbourhood; polyclinics and hospitals are accessible at low cost to everybody whose illness could not be handled by the neighbourhood doctor and nurse team. Thus, Cubans live longer than most in Latin America; fewer babies die; vaccination is free and accessible; and illnesses common to the poor such as TB, malaria, and even HIV and AIDS are rare or non-existent. Cubans no longer suffer from diphtheria, rubella, polio, or measles.

In contrast, the US is highly susceptible even if it boasts of being one of the most advanced in medical research, technology, and treatment because it had privatized its health care system. It can develop a vaccine and come up with treatment protocols for swine flu. But the question is, could the poor afford it? Medical insurance is available only to those who are still employed – although their numbers are rapidly diminishing because of the crisis – and those who could afford it.

Pity us Filipinos. Our public health care system lacks funds, facilities, equipment and medicines, and our public hospitals are dilapidated. The health care system lacks doctors, nurses, medical technologists, physical and occupational therapists despite the fact that the country is one of the top exporters of health professionals.
Let us not blame pigs for the spread of the swine flu virus, if and when it reaches our shores. Let us blame the swines in government who fatten their pockets through corruption while majority of the Filipino people live in destitution and die of preventable diseases.(Bulatlat.com)

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