Inclusion of psoriasis in Universal Health Care coverage sought
A neophyte solon has reiterated his call to include psoriasis, a kind of skin disease, in the Universal Health Care package.
Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Ray T. Reyes has a pending Psoriasis Bill, which main purpose is to include in the coverage of Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).
“The world looks to follow the Philippines’ template on, and its progress in, ongoing legislative efforts towards the inclusion of psoriasis in free primary health care as interest from other countries gains ground,” Reyes said after attending he recently concluded International Federation of Psoriasis Associations (IFPA) Forum held in Singapore.
The lawmaker speaks about the Philippine legislative experience of introducing a Psoriasis Bill, its importance on the future of people afflicted with psoriasis, and how it contributed to strengthening primary care and health reform by way of its inclusion in covered afflictions under the UHC Law.
“Psoriasis is a lifelong autoimmune disease that has no cure yet and affects the quality of life of hundreds of thousands of Filipinos nationwide. It is painful, chronic, and leaves them prone to worse medical conditions, including psoriatic arthritis, cardiometabolic syndrome, and depression,” the lawmaker said.
According to Reyes, aside from productivity, the disease also “carries with it a level of social stigma that impairs psoriatic patient’s ability to interact with society. Thus, the heavy impact, albeit indirect, to the overall economy.”
The 2016 Global Report on Psoriasis shows that the “prevalence of psoriasis in countries ranges between 0.09% and 11.43%, making it a serious global problem with at least 100 million individuals affected worldwide.”
Here in the country, Psoriasis Philippines estimates that the actual number afflicted by the disease can go as high as “one or two percent of Filipinos,” which means one or two million of our total population live with the disease, and consequently, its health complications as well as the social stigma surrounding it.
Data from the Department of Health, however, indicate that there are 300,000 Filipinos afflicted by psoriasis.
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