BBM To DOH: Refocus On Other Health Issues

President Marcos has ordered the Department of Health (DOH) to refocus on health issues other than COVID-19, saying the pandemic is “more or less being managed.”

In a meeting with DOH officials on Friday, Dec. 6, Marcos cited the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis as among the health issues that the government should prioritize while addressing the pandemic.

“We had a briefing with the DOH. I reminded them that although COVID is still there, we cannot forget public health issues such as tuberculosis, HIV, flu that are constant threats to the public,” he said in a video shared by the Office of the Press Secretary.

“We are continuing to monitor the COVID, all its new variants, but we have reminded the DOH that there are other issues beyond COVID. Since COVID is more or less being managed, we have to put our attention back to public health issues that have existed even before COVID,” he added.

The President noted that the COVID-19 pandemic may not be over yet, but the government should not deal with it at the expense of all other public health concerns.

“Let’s start refocusing again on the general public health concerns,” he said.

During the meeting, Marcos inquired about the DOH’s directly observed treatment strategy program, which seeks to eradicate tuberculosis in the country.

DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said personnel of her agency are now going around the country to launch the primary care program against the disease.

Vergeire added that tuberculosis, which usually affects people from the lower income bracket, has re-emerged because of its high transmissibility, and there are a lot of multi-drug resistant cases of TB because people can still buy anti-TB medicines over the counter.

“For example, they have prescriptions that will be given by doctors... medicines for just one, two months, they will not finish their medicines and they become resistant,” Vergeire said.

She noted that some patients who got medicines from the government offer them to other people who have not consulted a doctor.

To address the risks posed by tuberculosis, the DOH official underscored the need to intensify surveillance and monitoring efforts.

She said the DOH has forged a partnership with the United States Agency for International Development, which had donated a tool using artificial intelligence to read X-ray results.

“We’re trying to go around the different provinces to do this. Hopefully, we get to reduce the number of cases,” she added.

At the same meeting, Vergeire admitted that the DOH had encountered hurdles in its campaign against HIV due to pandemic-induced restrictions.

She said HIV cases rose during the pandemic because people were prevented from undergoing HIV screenings.

“People were not able to go for screening, were not able to get their medicines because of the lockdown, so what we did during the time of pandemic, we were already sending per individual or per patient who need medicines through (express courier) LBC, so they can take their medicines,” she noted.

Vergeire also emphasized that the DOH is one with legislators and the judiciary to fight stigma and discrimination related to HIV, which have been preventing people from seeking medical attention.