Cagayan de Oro health chief quits post

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY–This city’s health chief has quit her post amid the local government’s continued battle against a surge of COVID-19 infections.

Mayor Oscar S. Moreno said in a statement on Saturday that Dr. Lorraine J. Nery had relinquished as acting city health officer on Friday.

In that capacity, Nery also served as vice-chairperson of the city’s COVID-19 Emergency Operations Committee.

Moreno told reporters that Nery’s quitting “was mutually agreed upon,” thanking her for serving in those capacities.

While she will no longer be the city’s health chief, Moreno said Nery will continue to serve as a medical officer in the City Health Office.

Nery joined the local government in 2019 and later that year, just before the pandemic, was designated as acting city health officer even as there are more senior doctors around.

“I have no regret having made that decision. However, lately I have reached the inescapable decision that the Department needs streamlining, especially in these most difficult and trying times,” Moreno said.

In the past weeks, health authorities were hard-pressed to deal with the challenge of seeking more vaccine allocations from the health department, and in extracting COVID-infected persons from their homes.

In Nery’s stead, Moreno has designated Dr. William Bernardo, chief of the city health insurance department, to also act as the city’s health chief.