MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos has emphasized the significance of changing the government’s focus to primary health care in order to ensure the successful fight against health crises and maintain the effective delivery of essential health services.
Marcos made the remark following the courtesy call of Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), at the Study Room in Malacañan Palace on Tuesday.
As quoted by Malacañang, Marcos said it is time to starrt recalibrating the strategies by putting a premium on primary health care, considering the country’s progress in managing the pandemic “very well”.
“We need to do that, especially now that we have learned many lessons from this pandemic,” he told Ghebreyesus. “It is the time to start. Even in the psychology of our people, they think that we are now managing Covid very well.”
In light of the surge in cases of other diseases, Marcos sought to renew focus on general public health concerns.
“(We have to) bring back to other issues that were neglected during the height of the pandemic. There’s so much to do. We have to take care of our people,” he said.
Readiness to fight outbreaks
Ghebreyesus also stated that enough testing and readiness are crucial to fight disease outbreaks.
Given the emergence of more coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) variants, he recognized that the pandemic has imparted many lessons.
“I don’t think we will need different tools than we have now. It’s a matter of immediately detecting and using tools to stop it,” Ghebreyesus said.
Moreover, the WHO chief urged for continued vigilance to combat Covid-19.
“If we continue to be vigilant, we can solve it. So what I expect is for the future, maybe in the next few months or more, I think we will move forward,” he said.
Ghebreyesus is in the country to attend the 73rd WHO – Western Pacific Regional Committee Meeting from October 24 to 28 in Manila.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday night, Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Press Secretary, said Marcos and Ghebreyesus also discussed various issues concerning the health sector and the Philippine government’s post-pandemic priorities.
During the meeting with the WHO chief, Marcos stressed the need to “strike a balance between the economy and the safety of the people,” according to Garafil.
To stimulate economic growth, the Marcos administration is further easing Covid-19 protocols in the country.
The President is also slated to release an executive order (EO) making the use of face masks optional in indoors settings, with the exception of public transportation, medical transportation, and medical facilities.
In September, Marcos already signed an executive order permitting the voluntary use of face masks in outdoor areas.
relax the nervous system