Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 21) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. may not be in a rush to appoint a new health chief, but an infectious disease specialist said he should act on the matter with more urgency amid the evolving pandemic situation and other health issues in the country.
“I think he felt that there is no hurry to put a Secretary of Health, I think that is his perception because he is on top of the situation. The current DOH (Department of Health) management is on top of the situation,” Dr. Rontgene Solante told CNN Philippines’ The Source on Friday.
On Thursday, Marcos told the media that he might only consider appointing a full-time DOH secretary “when everything is fixed and normalized,” just like the pending appointment of an agriculture chief.
The President added that the country would have to move away from its “emergency stance” amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
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“Kaya pa naman siguro kung wala pang ilalagay diyan na Secretary of Health, and the current officer-in-charge is also doing her work appropriately, excellently. Tingin ko yun siguro ang tinitignan niya (Marcos) ngayon na wala pa naman tayong nakikitang gap kung wala pang Secretary of Health,” Solante said.
[Translation: Perhaps he thought that we can still manage without a Secretary of Health, and the current OIC is also doing her work appropriately, excellently. I think that’s what he is seeing, that there is still no gap that needs to be filled.]
He added that aside from the pandemic, there are also other health issues that need to be addressed.
“My perception is, my thought here is, it’s important – we have to have the Secretary of Health because it’s not only COVID-19, there are a lot of problems in terms of health,” Solante said.
“Other infectious diseases, non-infectious disease, we have the Universal Health Care. It’s important that the President should put there someone who can put direction on our health situation,” he added.
Health reform advocate Tony Leachon expressed a similar sentiment, noting that Health OIC Maria Rosario Vergeire is a good candidate for the position.
“The Secretary of Health is needed now to provide direction, confidence to the Filipino people, and come up with strategic goals with timelines and set the organizational structure to function efficiently,” he said. “OIC Sec. Vergeire is a good candidate for the position. Delegate with authority is key.”
