Hontiveros stresses need to appoint new Health chief, border control vs. monkeypox

Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday stressed the need for President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to appoint the new Health secretary considering the numerous public health issues in the country.

The lawmaker mentioned this as she expressed hope the Department of Health (DOH) would act accordingly on imposing border controls to prevent transmission of monkeypox in the country.

"Sana nga hindi ma-late. 'Yun yung isang pagsisi natin noong nagsimula itong pandemyang COVID na hindi nakapagbigay agad ng rekomendasyon ang dating secretary of Health para maaksyunan agad din ng ating border authorities at buong gobyerno," Hontiveros said in a press conference.

(I hope it will not be too late. That was one of our regrets when COVID-19 started because then Health secretary did not immediately give recommendation to border authorities and the whole government.)

When asked if Marcos should already name the new Health chief, Hontiveros answered in the affirmative.

"Actually, isa 'yon sa pinakaunang inaasahan natin na ma-appoint ni Presidente at sa mga pangalan na lumulutang na, magandang maitanong na sila ba ang pinakamagagaling, pinakakatiwa-tiwala kasama na 'yung mga kasulukuyang tumitimon na rin  sa DOH dahil marami ring magagaling doon," she said.

(Actually, we expected that to be one of the first presidential appointees to be named. To those whose names are being floated, we must ask if they are the most efficient, most trustworthy, including those who are currently leading the DOH because many of them are the best in the field.)

The opposition lawmaker hopes that the next Health secretary has a "firm grasp" on public health as the country faces COVID-19 and monkeypox, both were declared as public health emergencies of international concern.

"Sana kapag naupo na sila makapagpasya na rin sa strategic direction ang Department of Health nasa pandemic pa nga tayo, ito na nga may bagong public health emergency of international concern na monkeypox at siyempre kasi mahalagang makapagtalaga na si Presidente at makapagtalaga ng magaling dahil sa bagong itatalagang secretary nakaasa rin ang kumpiyansa ng publiko sa buong Department of health," she added.

Apart from this, Hontiveros said the next Health chief should also prioritize the Universal Health Care Law implementation and other important programs of the DOH.

Last week, several senators said there is an urgency in appointing the next Health secretary after the country reported its first case of monkeypox.

They also urged the DOH to learn from the COVID-19 pandemic and intensify its surveillance efforts to prevent the spread of the disease.

On July 14, Malacanang announced that Marcos has designated Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire as the officer-in-charge of the DOH.—AOL, GMA News