The presentation was shown during the Healthy People, Wealthy Nation Forum last January 29, 2014.

1. Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance
Sustainable Health Financing
through Health Promotion Funds
E. Ulysses N. Dorotheo, MD, FPAO
Healthy People, Wealthy Nation
(Achieving Inclusive Growth in the Philippines through Health Promotion)
29 January 2014

2. Health for all
• An impossible dream?

3. You receive 1 billion pesos/year to spend for the
health of the PH population (100 million).
3 options:
1. Keep the money for yourself - for your “health”
2. Give every person ten pesos/year to spend for
his/her health
or

4. or
3. You invest in programs to increase the health of
the population
In this case you need a
health-increasing infrastructure

5. The overall goal in health is to improve or maintain
the health of the people.
Health care / disease management:
focus on people with diseases
Disease Prevention:
focus on people with risk factors
Health promotion
strengthens resources for health in all people
(with disease / risk factors / the healthy)
Most return on investment in health promotion;
least in disease management
An overall approach from disease management
to disease prevention
to health promotion is needed.

6. Health Promotion means
changing the environment
and
changing the behaviour
for better health.

8. Why sustainable?
o We have a long-lasting (and increasing) problem
(e.g. NCDs)
but also
o We offer innovative solutions with a long-term inclusive
policy and action plan
(Health Promotion and Disease Prevention)
A sustained problem
needs a sustainable approach.

10. • Cardiovascular
diseases
• Cancers
Blindness
Injuries
Mental disorders
• Chronic
respiratory
diseases
Tobacco
control
others
• Diabetes

11. Best Practices in
Health Promotion Delivery
Set up health promotion fund: focus on
innovative, sustainable HP activities
Mandated by law: long-term funding secured for
HP use only
Source of funding: surcharge tax (regular and
sustainable funding)
Governance model: independent agency
(autonomous decision-making; governance board
independent from any political group)

13. What are opportunities to
improve HP in the PH?

14. You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I have a dream today!

15. Ways forward
Premise: inclusive economic growth;
healthy people = wealthy people
•
•
•
•
Universal health coverage
Rationalization plan and DOH
Earmarked sin tax revenues
Health promotion legislation