The Philippine Heart Association (PHA) has raised the alarm over a critical shortage of heart specialists in the country, revealing that each cardiologist is responsible for about 44,000 Filipinos.
With just 2,500 cardiologists serving more than 112 million people, PHA President Dr. Walid Amil warns that millions—especially those in the provinces—face long waits, costly travel, and delayed treatment for life-threatening heart conditions.
“Many of our kababayans still travel for hours, sometimes days, just to consult a heart doctor or undergo a procedure,” Amil said, noting that most specialists remain concentrated in Metro Manila where advanced facilities and larger patient bases are available.
To close the gap, the Department of Health (DOH) is upgrading 17 regional heart centers, including Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) in Iloilo City, to handle life-saving procedures such as angioplasty and bypass surgery.
Amil believes well-equipped hospitals are key to attracting cardiologists to underserved areas.
PhilHealth has also expanded coverage for major heart procedures—P197,000 for angiograms and P523,000 for angioplasty—ensuring that even indigent patients in public wards can access these services at no cost under its “No Balance Billing” program.
The shortage is just as stark in Western Visayas, where only 67 cardiologists serve nearly 8 million people—a ratio of one specialist for every 118,000 residents.
PHA-Western Visayas President Dr. Ma. Sylvia De Pili warns that without local fellowship programs to train new heart doctors, the region will fall further behind.
Cardiovascular disease remains the country’s leading cause of death, and the PHA says reversing the 1:44,000 ratio will require a national push—combining policy reform, infrastructure investment, and incentives for specialists to serve far-flung communities.
