Philippines is one of the worst places to die
By scheng1
@scheng1 (24649)
Singapore
October 10, 2015 7:55am CST
According to a report, Philippines is one of the worst places to die.
The reason is the lack of healthcare specialists in palliative care.
I think the aged and the sick are probably taken care by their relatives who are not really an expert in palliative care.
I pity those who are suffering from terminal illness and suffering in pain.
A 2015 Quality of Death study index has listed the Philippines as one of the worst places to die, next to Iraq and Bangladesh. The Economist Intelligence Unit report, commissioned by Singapore nonprofit Lien Foundation, indicated that the Philippines, out
4 people like this
6 responses
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
11 Oct 15
We are not disputing the standard of medical care for treatment.
We are talking about palliative care.
That means when the patients are beyond hope, and the doctors say to discharge the patients so that they can go home and die, the palliative care kicks in.
Some patients can live for years before they finally die.
2 people like this
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
11 Oct 15
Palliative care is not the kind of healthcare that you associate with hospitals.
Palliative care refers to taking care of patients who will not get well.
They will suffer and they will weaken and finally die.
It is really expensive to put a patient in hospice, because the patient will need painkiller all the time.
1 person likes this
@pahak627 (4558)
• Philippines
11 Oct 15
That is the report so I have to take it as it is. I am from the Philippines and as what I have observed in our small city. We have public hospitals here. In our place, we have a public hospital funded by the national government and another which is funded by the city government. There are patients who are indigent and if they only know, there is an appropriation provided from the party list funds for the indigents. I guess they don't know about this funds. 
I guess the problem is how to go to the appropriate persons for this. There is also the PCSO, I heard that there are some who were assisted by this agency. It is the initiative of the patients' families on where to go but most people don't really know how specially the indigents .
Filipinos know more on what is going on in our country. Not only filipinos but also non-filipinos know the country's situation. It is of public knowledge that there are public officials who are imprisoned because of corruption. Maybe that has something to do with the report. Hope I'm wrong.
I guess the problem is how to go to the appropriate persons for this. There is also the PCSO, I heard that there are some who were assisted by this agency. It is the initiative of the patients' families on where to go but most people don't really know how specially the indigents .
Filipinos know more on what is going on in our country. Not only filipinos but also non-filipinos know the country's situation. It is of public knowledge that there are public officials who are imprisoned because of corruption. Maybe that has something to do with the report. Hope I'm wrong. 1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
11 Oct 15
Palliative care is not about helping the poor patients or helping the patients get well.
Palliative care is about helping the patients who never will get well, and who suffer in pain to die in peace.
Think about those cancer patients who are beyond care.
They will still live after the doctors say that nothing can be done.
Their cancer cells spread through whole body, and will cause them great pain.
The care of such terminal patients is known as palliative care.
in Singapore, there are limited bed space in hospice to cater to such patients too.
2 people like this
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
21 Oct 15
@pahak627 That is good to hear. I think she is rather young as a cancer patient, so she manages to survive due to good doctors, and her supporting families.
I hope her children will grow up to become doctors, and providing care for all patients, even those terminal patients.
When we have toothache, we want to cry and do all our best to stop the pain.
I cannot imagine how those terminal cancer patients deal with pain if the palliative care is not available
Family members have no way of getting painkiller and they do not know how much and when to administer.
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
10 Oct 15
It all boils down to the government.
If the government does not want to spend money on building nursing homes, and training the nurses and doctors to provide care for the aged, and terminally ill patients, nothing will improve.
Most people are not rich enough to afford private care.
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
21 Oct 15
Not really. The relatives of the patient will end up overwhelmed, and they find it hard to cope emotionally and physically.
It is hard for a family member who is not medically trained to know how much painkiller to give, and when to give.
if they want to get painkiller for the family member, they would have brought the patient to the hospital.
Doctors will not give painkiller over the counter.
if there is a hospice with full time doctors and nurses, they will attend to the patient, including giving the patient painkiller, and oxygen.
2 people like this
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
23 Oct 15
@rashu_j883 Not true. Many developed countries have palliative care facilities.
The relatives will visit the patients, and they do not have to give up their job to look after the patients who are dying.
It is hard to married couples with 3 young kids to take care of their aged parents who cannot talk, walk and eat.
@rashu_j883 (144)
• Hyderabad, India
23 Oct 15
@scheng1 for this govt has to come forward to give necassary facilities to all the patients suffering.rules should be made like
no relative can keep this patients with them.
their heal thcare should be govt responsibility.
people can donate money,clothes,food etc for them.
a separate healthcare centre should be opened for these patients.etc.
1 person likes this
@rashu_j883 (144)
• Hyderabad, India
10 Oct 15
its sad to hear about phillipines.people facing health problems there should be taken care by the govt.now people can opt online medical advises.
2 people like this
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
11 Oct 15
This discussion thread is about palliative care.
That means taking care of patients who are not going to recover anymore.
The doctors will discharge these patients, saying that there is no hope, and the patients are better off going home to die at home.
