Marcos administration urged to take holistic approach to universal health care

 The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday urged the incoming administration of president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to take a holistic approach in the implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC).

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said a fragmented approach should will not be beneficial to the people.

“It should be at that level of the healthcare, health system strengthening, kung saan whole of government pa rin ang approach based on the learnings that we’ve had during this pandemic,” Vergeire said in a media briefing.

(It should be at that level of healthcare, health system strengthening, wherein the whole of government is the approach based on the learnings that we’ve had during this pandemic.)

“Whole of society, public, private, nagtutulong lahat ng ahensya ng gobyerno nagtutulong-tulong, national and local governments helping and collaborating with each other,” she added.

(Whole of society, public, private, all agencies of government will work hand-in-hand, and national and local governments will help and collaborate with each other.)

Vergeire said the DOH was able to issue 60 critical policies during the COVID-19 pandemic that will lay the groundwork to implement Universal Health Care.

Meanwhile, she said the agency will also endorse the continued reliance on the generation of evidence.

“Nakita natin during this time of the pandemic how science and evidence gave us that upperhand or advantage, no, para po tayo ay makapag tuloy-tuloy sa ating management detection, prevention, and all,” she said.

(We saw during this time of the pandemic how science and evidence gave us that upperhand or advantage for us to continue our management direction, prevention, and all.)

Vergeire also pushed for the prioritization of Senate Bill 2505, which seeks to create the Philippine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

“[It] should be pushed forward…  para po matulungan ang ating health sector na magkaroon ng heightened surveillance, magkaroon ng established units for data management, for research, para po maging mas resilient ang ating healthcare system,” she said.

(It should be pushed forward so we can help our health sector achieve heightened surveillance, have established units for data management for research, so our healthcare system will be more resilient.)

Vergeire said she will also recommend to the incoming administration to continue the prioritization of healthcare workers.

“Na patuloy natin silang maalagaan, patuloy natin silang ma proteksyonan, patuloy natin silang mabigyan ng benepisyo that is accorded and appropriate sa kanila dahil inaalagaan nila ang sambayanan,” she said.

(They should continue to be taken care of, protected, and given benefits that is accorded and appropriate for them because they are taking care of the country.)—LDF, GMA News