7 of 10 Pinoys succumb to preventable diseases
More than 95,000 individuals die every year from tobacco use, around 27,000 die from excessive alcohol intake, and almost 4,000 deaths have been found related to excessive consumption of sugar.
Most Filipinos have been found to die from preventable non-communicable diseases (NDCs), the Department of Health (DoH) said on Wednesday, 11 November.
The department said Assistant Secretary Lester Tan, head of the DoH’s Local Health Systems Strengthening Cluster, reported this during the recent Interagency Forum on the Executive-Legislative Agenda.
“Seven out of every 10 Filipino deaths are caused by non-communicable diseases, to which tobacco use, harmful alcohol consumption, and unhealthy diets are major contributors,” Tan said during the forum.
The DoH reported that more than 95,000 individuals die every year from tobacco use, around 27,000 die from excessive alcohol intake, and almost 4,000 deaths have been found related to excessive consumption of sugar.
Higher sin taxes mulled
The department has expressed concerns over the number of NDC-related deaths, considering many of the cases were preventable.
Because of this, the DoH has pushed for legislative reforms to raise “sin taxes,” a point also conveyed during the forum.
“We must raise taxes on harmful products to make them less affordable, reduce consumption, prevent premature deaths, and generate sustainable funding for Universal Health Care,” explained Tan during the forum.
The DoH has urged the public to support raising sin taxes to ensure healthier Filipino families and secure their future.