DOH to endorse CDC, Vax Institute creation to next admin

MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) will endorse to the next administration the implementation strategies of the Universal Health Care Act and the establishment of the Vaccine Institute of the Philippines and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

In an online media forum Tuesday, Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the DOH would push for proper approaches to be observed in “transitioning from the pandemic to the new normal”.

As the DOH has planned and informed the public “to live with the virus”, Vergeire said the agency would urge the President-elect to continue the Covid-19 vaccination program and the implementation of minimum public health standards.

The DOH likewise sees the crucial role of a CDC in the country’s goal to move out of the pandemic and ensure health care for all.

“Andiyan po ang Centers for Disease Control bill na pinapasa sa Senado sa Kongreso kung saan diyan po mare-restructure ang ating health care system. ang ating DOH na magkaroon tayo ng isang institusyon kung saan dito na tayo magre-rely pagdating sa mga pandemya, pagdating sa infectious disease, pagdating dito sa ating bansa at pagdating sa ating pagre-research and data surveillance (There’s the Centers for Disease Control bill in the Senate, in Congress, where our health care system, DOH, will be restructured, and there will be one institution to rely on in times of pandemic, infectious disease, and research and data surveillance),” Vergeire said.

Senate Bill No. 2505 or the Philippine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Act will establish the Centers for Health Statistics, Surveillance and Epidemiology, Health Evidence, and Reference Laboratories under the DOH.

A counterpart bill in the House of Representatives was approved in July 2021.

Vergeire noted that the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the country’s need for a vaccine institute that would promote the protection against infectious diseases and pandemics.

“The National Health Security Act kung saan nandiyan po, it will link with the CDC for us to be more resilient during this time na nagkakaroon tayo ng krisis sa ating bansa (that will be linked with the CDC for us to be resilient during this time of crisis in our country),” she added.