Health Insurance: How It Can Protect You Against the Common Health Issues in the Philippines

The life expectancy of Filipinos has improved. According to the United Nations, the life expectancy in the Philippines rose to 71.79 years, accounting for a little over five years’ worth of increase from 2021. Despite the improvement, Filipinos’ life expectancy is still much lower compared with those in developed countries, and this may be attributed to a combination of medical and non-medical factors.

This article discusses the common health issues in the Philippines that significantly affect the health outcomes of Filipinos and things you can do to protect yourself.

The Most Common Health Issues in the Philippines

Dengue

It is a sad reality that dengue still takes the lives of many Filipinos to this day. So much so that in 2019, the Department of Health even declared a dengue epidemic. In 2019, there were 361,000 dengue cases and 1,373 deaths, making 2019 the largest dengue epidemic in the last decade.

Dengue continues to be a major cause for concern as 167,355 dengue cases were reported throughout the nation in 2023. 

Measles

Measles is another infectious disease that affects the respiratory tract, causing fever, runny nose, and rashes.

Because of the many complications brought about by measles, nearly 900 Filipino children have died from it 2018 to 2023, according to the World Health Organization.

The Department of Health has reported a higher number of measles cases in 2024, with 1,817 cases between January and April alone – five times higher than the same period in the previous year. Of these cases, 48% come from the Bangsamoro Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) where an outbreak has been declared.

Diabetes

Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death among Filipinos. Based on the data gathered by the International Diabetes Federation in 2021, there are over 4.3 million Filipinos suffering from Diabetes.

Diabetes is a lifelong disease caused by high levels of sugar in the blood (hyperglycemic) because of the inadequate production and/or action of insulin (the hormone that regulates our blood sugar levels). While no one dies from diabetes per se, it brings about a host of severe complications such as stroke, heart attack, end-stage kidney disease, and diabetic retinopathy.

Tuberculosis

While many countries have made significant improvements to combat tuberculosis (TB), sadly, this is not the case for the Philippines. TB still kills around 70 Filipinos per day. In fact, the Philippines ranked 8th among 30 countries with the highest number of TB cases in the world, according to the 2016 Global Tuberculosis Report.

The scary thing is, TB is highly contagious. Each person diagnosed with TB can spread the disease to 10 other Filipinos each year. With 200,000 to 600,000 Filipinos with active TB, the numbers can quickly add up, making it a persistent health issue in the Philippines.

Cardiovascular Diseases

Studies show that cardiovascular diseases, such as heart failure or heart attacks, as well as cancer, are the two leading causes of death in the Philippines. Some 124,437 Filipinos died from Ischaemic heart diseases in 2023.

Cancer

Along with cardiovascular diseases, cancers take the lives of tens of thousands of Filipinos each year.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among Filipino women, and the Philippines has the highest number of breast cancer incidents among 197 countries. In fact, we have 25,000 reported cancer cases as of 2023, of which around 9,000 are breast cancer cases.

Lung cancer is another major killer and is the top cancer-related death among Filipino men. This is caused by pollution, chemical inhalation, and smoking.

Pneumonia

The year 2023 saw a rise in Pneumonia cases in the Philippines, in both adults and children. There were 34,160 cases in 2023, up by 27% from 2022. From this number, cases among children under five years old increased by 11%.

Pneumonia is a contagious disease that can easily spread through respiratory droplets. Once a person is infected, it causes air sacs to build up, making it hard to breathe and causing a variety of symptoms that can compromise one’s health.

HIV/AIDS

The sudden rise in HIV/AIDS between 2022 and 2023 has made it a critical health problem for Filipinos. The Department of Health reported 26,700 new HIV infections in 2023.

HIV/AIDS is a disease that weakens the immune system, leading to a higher risk of life-threatening infections. Apart from the health complications, what makes HIV/AIDS a major health concern is the stigma it carries. A lot of Filipinos are afraid to get tested, which also translates to lower access to treatments.

Obesity

Another growing issue in the Philippines is obesity – with around 27 million Filipinos considered overweight or obese. Obesity is not merely an aesthetic issue, but a complicated health one. Obesity, characterized by excessive body fat, results in a higher risk for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and other health problems.

What You Can Do

Adopting a healthy lifestyle is the best way to reduce your risks of contracting these common health issues in the Philippines. Eat a balanced diet that contains lots of fruits and vegetables, drink water to stay hydrated, exercise regularly, and avoid bad habits such as smoking and excessive alcohol.

Aside from healthy living, there are health insurance products in the Philippines that can help provide you with a safety net should the worst happen. InLife's health insurance coverage helps relieve you of the financial burden from numerous doctor’s appointments, hospitalization, and treatment. 

InLife offers a comprehensive insurance policy to give you and your loved ones’ peace of mind. Find out how much your health insurance will cost with our financial calculator.