By ignorance of reality or political strategy, some people say that the National Health Service (SNS) is spender and unsustainable. It is exactly the opposite!Let's
talk numbers, based on the latest OECD data, relating to 2010. In terms
of percentage of GDP, Portugal spent 10.7% in Health (public and
private spending), France and Germany 11.6% and OECD average was 9.5%. But
per capita, the comparison is fair and honest, Portugal spent only $
2,728, compared to 3974 in France, 4338 in Germany and 3268 the average
of OECD countries. However, for the previous amount, the Portuguese State only contributes 65.8%. Against 77.0% in France, 76.8% in Germany and 72.2% on average across OECD countries. In other words, Portugal has a global budget system and, above all, cheaper for the state. It
is recalled that in the meantime, from 2010 to 2012, the government
reduced the public contribution to the SNS by 20% and that for 2013 the
State Budget provides that public spending on health is only 5.1% of
GDP.
And the quality? Portugal has 3.4 hospital beds per 1,000 inhabitants, while France has 6.4, Germany 8.3 and the OECD average is 4.9. You can not cut more hospital beds without harming patients! The mean duration of hospitalization in days was 5.9 in Portugal, 5.7 in France, 9.5 in Germany, 7.1 in the OECD average. The Portuguese hospital specialists work well!
Life expectancy of women at 65: 20.6, 22.6, 20.9 and 20.7 years respectively in Portugal, France, Germany and the OECD average. We are very well, but we can improve, which goes mainly to combat risk factors, prevent and treat chronic diseases.
Infant mortality in 2010 (deaths in the first year per 1,000 live births): 2.5 in Portugal, 3.6 in France, 3.4 in Germany and 4.3 in the OECD. One of the best parameters of global analysis of the quality of a health system. Portugal was the best in 2010!
Only in per capita expenditure on the consumption of drugs would compare not so well. This year we spent $ 508.1 versus 634.5 in France, 640.0 and 495.4 of Germany to the OECD average. But in the meantime, from 2010 to 2012, the value of the drug in ambulatory market and the average cost per package declined about 20% as a result of the measures implemented by the Government. Which means that today we are already below the OECD average and that there is slack to introduce innovative medication.
As shown by the coldness of the OECD numbers, the SNS is of great quality and cheap. As recently stated in Brussels at a meeting organized by the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), the Portuguese health system is the world's best, excludes no one, is sustainable and should be preserved. Who want to claim otherwise, you will have to show underlying!
If any government want to have democratic legitimacy to destroy the SNS, the parties that support it will need to apply for elections with this explicit program, or undergo option for Health in Portugal to a national referendum. It was not the 10% of GDP on health Portugal that led to bankruptcy. It was mediocre, spender and corrupt way "the other 90%" is spent by successive governments.
José Manuel Silva
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