8. There are numerous health related resources such as pharmaceuticals, manpower among other resources. Urban areas in Japan have well distributed health manpower which facilitates fair delivery of health services (Dunn & Dyck, 2000). This is unlike the rural parts of Japan where distribution of health care services has not enhanced equality. The ratio of doctors to population served is wide in rural areas of Japan than in urban areas of Japan (Lönnroth, et al, 2009). With respect to the 2009 health care expenditure in 2009, $333.8 billion were used in the NHI plan. This constitutes 6.6% of Japan’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, Japan plans to increase the expenditure on NHI to reach 10% by the year 2020. This would imply that Japan have to spend over 62.3 trillion yen to fund NHI. By 2035, the total expenditure would get to 13.5%.
9. One of the most important resource in Japan associated with pharmacy involves the pharmacy training and practice policy. In order for one to become a pharmacist in Japan, he or she must undertake a 6-year pharmaceutical training in Japan. This is outlined in the hospital pharmacy program. Additionally, the trained pharmacist must certify the boards and meet their requirements of pharmaceutical practice. He or she must also get a certification from the board as well as license in order to be allowed to practice pharmacy. There is an essential medicine list in Japan that outlines how medication should be done. Pharmacists are needed to comprehend the list so as to foster quality pharmaceutical care services.
References
Dunn, J. R., & Dyck, I. (2000). Social determinants of health in Canada’s immigrant population: results from the National Population Health Survey.Social science & medicine, 51(11), 1573-1593.
Lönnroth, K., Jaramillo, E., Williams, B. G., Dye, C., & Raviglione, M. (2009). Drivers of tuberculosis epidemics: the role of risk factors and social determinants. Social science & medicine, 68(12), 2240-2246.
Marmot, M. (2005). Social determinants of health inequalities. The Lancet,365(9464), 1099-1104.
Marmot, M., Friel, S., Bell, R., Houweling, T. A., Taylor, S., & Commission on Social Determinants of Health. (2008). Closing the gap in a generation: health equity through action on the social determinants of health. The Lancet, 372(9650), 1661-1669.
