Top 20 Illnesses in the Philippines 1Q 2011, Based on Philhealth Claims Paid

Here’s a list of the top 20 illnesses or causes of hospitalizations in the Philippines in the first quarter of 2011, based on the number of health insurance claims paid by Philhealth.

Pneumonia and chronic renal failure were still the top 2 illnesses in the first quarter, compared to the top 20 illnesses for the whole of 2010. The ones that increased in rank were classic dengue (from No. 13 to 8), dengue haemorrhagic fever (from No. 8 to 7), and amoebiasis (from No. 17 to 15).

Rank	Illness	Claims
1	Pneumonia	79,631
2	Chronic renal failure	68,739
3	Single normal spontaneous delivery of child	55,519
4	Diarrhea and gastroenteritis	53,282
5	Liveborn infant care	36,565
6	Other disorders of urinary system	33,057
7	Dengue haemorrhagic fever	31,101
8	Dengue fever (classic dengue)	21,716
9	Primary (primary) hypertension	21,212
10	Acute upper respiratory infections	18,553
11	Senile cataract	16,665
12	Asthma	16,008
13	Gastritis and duodenitis	14,637
14	Chronic nephritic syndrome	13,458
15	Amoebiasis	12,161
16	Malignant neoplasm of breast	11,875
17	Typhoid and paratyphoid fevers	11,608
18	Acute bronchitis	10,368
19	Viral infection	10,300
20	Single delivery by caesarean section	9,767

Note:   Data was sourced from the Philhealth website.

Despite the high occurrence rate of pneumonia in the Philippines, as shown in the high number of Philhealth claims, pneumonia is not the top cause of death in the country. This means that pneumonia is being successfully treated.
The Number One cause of death in the Philippines in 2007, the most recent data, was heart disease. Second most prevalent cause was cerebrovascular disease.  Pneumonia was the fourth most prevalent.  Pneumonia refers to inflammation and congestion of the lungs due to bacteria, viruses or other irritants.

Chronic renal failure, the illness with the second highest number of Philhealth claims, was part of the tenth most prevalent disease group causing death in 2007, consisting of diseases of the kidneys.