Consuming less than what we produce without putting the world at stake helps sustain our shared home. Be mindful of consumption habits and conserve what’s left. These goals gun for one objective—to help the Earth regain its natural balance. 

But did you know that sustainability isn’t limited to saving the environment? In the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, good health and wellbeing is included. 

Unfortunately, despite efforts to establish accessible healthcare in the Philippines and other developing regions, it appears that the haves and no-haves are still inadvertently embroiled in an uphill battle for such access—the latter often losing. 

Important health services, including immunization, pregnancy and newborn care, and treatment for communicable and noncommunicable diseases—tuberculosis, HIV, diabetes, and hypertension—are still out of reach for 782 million people in Western Pacific, nearly half of its population which includes Filipinos, according to World Health Organization.

A study by Ateneo de Manila University in late 2024 also found that there is health inequity in the country, calling for the need to address the rich-poor gap. 

Policymakers need to reduce the discrepancy in healthcare access among socioeconomic classes and healthcare quality between public and private sectors, improve availability in far-flung areas, and reduce out-of-pocket expenditures, the study stressed.

Despite the grim figures, hope was felt when cheers for accessible and sustainable healthcare were heard during the second Manila Bulletin Sustainability Focus Session on Wednesday, April 30 at Dr. Robert C. Sy Grand Ballroom, University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Manila.

Aiming to shed light on the issues hounding the sector, leaders and local health brands highlighted how they and others are pushing for better and sustainable healthcare locally.

Health leaders urge accessible healthcare and nutrition

Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teodoro Herbosa and Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo graced the morning session of the event.

Our health system, the secretary said, requires strengthening to bridge gaps in the industry, including timely access to life-saving medicines for the poorest.

“Today, we still face malnutrition, vaccine-preventable diseases, maternal and child deaths, and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases like diabetes and heart disease. We also grapple with ensuring timely access to life-saving medicines, especially for our poorest and most vulnerable kababayans,” he said.

Herbosa emphasized the DOH Administrative Order No. 2023-0015 or its eight-point action agenda for a healthy country, focusing on health promotion and disease prevention, acute care, and women's health. This aims for the country to rank among the healthiest nations in Asia.

The agenda seeks to achieve the following: ensure accessible healthcare for every Filipino, deliver safe and quality services, drive technological progress, improve crisis preparedness, prevent illness, support mental and physical wellbeing, uphold the safety and rights of health workers, and protect individuals against pandemics.

“Envisioning the future of universal healthcare, proper nutrition, and equitable access to medicine would not be more timely or meaningful. Medical missions in small areas do not cut it yet. We have to deliver services at scale,” Domingo urged.

Brand partners for the morning discussion followed suit and shone the spotlight on healthcare and how sustainability can be achieved.

Healthway

Healthcare provider Healthway said it contributes to environmental protection through management of waste, energy, and water. In 2023, it partnered with Integrated Waste Management Inc. to help handle its hazardous, medical, and electronic trash.

“We want you to devise diets that are made of Philippine vegetables and products so that we can feed, treat, and nourish Filipino kids and elderly patients in a very sustainable manner,” Dr. Jose "Joey" Sollano, medical director at Healthway Cancer Care Hospital, advised the students during the session.

He also told learners to help soon with delivering affordable healthcare on a national scale and developing a comprehensive approach to cancer care.

The Medical City

The hospital minimizes its carbon footprint through energy efficient technologies and sustainable building practices, as well as by reducing waste, promoting recycling initiatives, and conserving water and other resources, said Dr. Stuart Bennett, president and group CEO at The Medical City.

“By embracing ESG, we're not just compliant with regulations. We're creating a better future for our patients, our employees, and our planet,” he expressed. 

Among the values guiding its efforts are social responsibility, prioritizing patient-centered care, and improving patient outcomes.

Watsons

Focusing on people, planet, and products, Watsons has switched to over 8,000 sustainable items and will continue to help improve health access, the wellness brand said.  

"Prevention is always the best medicine. We don't want to be known for medicines. We want to be known for wellness," said Blesilda Espin, controller for health own brands and business development at Watsons.

The company has launched four "greener stores" in Bonifacio Global City “to reduce environmental impact by lowering carbon emissions, conserving water, minimizing landfill waste, and offering more sustainable product choices."

According to her, health access is a shared responsibility between individuals, the healthcare system, and the government. 

She then advised the students, “You are catalysts of change and of innovation and have an important role to play in improving it as stewards and leaders of tomorrow.”

The second Manila Bulletin Sustainability Focus Session was held in collaboration with Watsons, The Medical City, Maxicare, The Generics Pharmacy, AC Health, and the University of Santo Tomas.