12-Oct-15 According to the 2015 Quality of Death index, the Philippines lacks a strategy for palliative care, making Manila the worst place to die after Iraq and Bangladesh. Although the government has palliative care programs, its major thrust is universal healthcare. “We are improving the services of PhilHealth, and the number of health issues under its coverage has increased,” said a spokesperson. [image: Philstar]

08-Oct-15 The average amount spent on medical expenses in Taiwan for people aged 65+ was nearly three times the national average in 2014. People aged 51-64 had average medical expenses of NT$36,274 (USD1,100), compared with NT$7,069 (USD214) for people aged 7-18. The figures are based on the amount spent to reimburse medical institutions under the country's universal health insurance program. [image: Want China Times]

08-Oct-15 China will spend RMB9.8 bn (USD1.54 bn) to subsidise public hospital reform in 2016, the Ministry of Finance said. China's healthcare reform drive is facing a number of obstacles, including a perceived lack of support from central government and challenges of private firms working within the huge, fragmented public sector. [image: AFP / Ed Jones]

01-Oct-15 The Delhi government has approved the creation of “Delhi Healthcare Corporation” to provide centralised support services to its health department, such as procurement of drugs, consumables, equipment, sanitation services and nursing orderlies, among others. [image: Mail Online India]

01-Oct-15 The Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association (AHHA) is calling on the Commonwealth Government to collect and provide more timely and local health data, and to keep affordability and access to primary health care in mind as it makes changes to the health care system. [image: Univerity of Queensland].