2 out of 5 in Western Pacific have no access to essential health services: WHO

MANILA, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Two out of every five people in the Western Pacific region cannot access essential health services, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday.

Some 782 million people in the region have no access, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Region Saia Ma'u Piukala said at a press conference, stressing the region is "a long way from where (it) needs to be."

Even for those who can access care, high out-of-pocket expenses often cause financial hardship, forcing people to choose between seeking care or paying for food and shelter for their families, the Manila-based WHO regional office warned.

"This is the reality for too many people today. An estimated one in five people in this region are paying 10 percent or more of their income in out-of-pocket health expenses," Piukala said.

He said that vulnerable populations, including poorer and less educated groups and those living in rural and peri-urban areas in the region, still face challenges in accessing and paying for healthcare.

Meanwhile, continued limited access to affordable, nutritious food and increasingly polluted environments across the region are also contributing to a rise in noncommunicable diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, Piukala added.

"Health services to prevent and treat these diseases are not keeping up with demand," he said.