Facade of the DOH main office in Manila. INQUIRER.net file photo
MANILA, Philippines — The next health secretary should be patient, understanding, “down to earth,” and an “expert” when it comes to the public’s needs, Philippine Medical Association (PMA) president Dr. Benito Atienza said.
During Friday’s Laging Handa briefing, Atienza was asked what he thinks should be the qualifications of the next secretary of the Department of Health (DOH).
PMA is the largest organization of doctors in the country.
“Sana iyong qualification, dapat talagang pasensyoso…kailangan po natin iyong talagang malawak na pang-unawa ng isang health secretary at saka dapat…pahalagahan pa rin ang pagbabakuna at dapat dinidinig iyong mga hinaing ng ating mga health care workers, iyong mga suweldo nila, iyong ganoon. At saka iyong mga facilities,” Atienza said.
(Hopefully, the qualification should be someone who is patient…we need a health secretary that has a broad understanding and someone who will give importance to vaccination, who listens to the concerns of healthcare workers regarding their salaries, things like that. As well as their need for facilities.)
“At saka ang unang-una rin ay iyong pananaw niya, dapat talaga eksperto sa ating mga mamamayan at saka dapat down to earth, iyong nakaka-relate lalo na sa lower strata ng ating ano. Iyong ang dating ay parang ang aming idol na si Juan Flavier,” he added.
(Another thing is perspective, they should be experts on the needs of the public, someone who is down to earth, someone who can relate to the lower strata of the society. Someone similar to our idol Juan Flavier.)
The next DOH chief should also give importance to health workers and have the ability to advocate for the public’s welfare, according to Atienza.
“Nakaka-communicate, nadadala po iyong mga sentimiyento ng ating mamamayan at pinapahalagahan po ang health workers at ang ating mamamayan. Lalung-lalo na po ngayon na ongoing na po iyong ating implementation ng Universal Health Car…Napakaimportante po nito na mapaabot siya sa ating mga mamamayan,” he said.
(Someone who communicates well, someone who pushes the sentiments of the public, someone who gives importance to our health workers and our people. Especially now that the implementation of the Universal Health Care is ongoing…it’s very important to make this accessible to the people.)
“Ang atin po namang DOH ay iyan din naman po ang plataporma, naiiba lang po iyong ating head o Secretary of Health. Sana po..dapat katanggap-tanggap sa ating mamamayan iyong magiging Secretary of Health,” he added.
(Our DOH has the same platform, we just change the head or the Secretary of Health. Hopefully, the next Secretary of Health will be acceptable to the people.)
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