Back to the DOH
Following the rejection of the appointment of Paulyn Ubial by Congress, Francisco Duque III is back as secretary of the Department of Health.
Duque, who held the same post during the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, faces longstanding challenges in public health care. Health services are inadequate in this country even for those who are not impoverished. And public health workers are starting to demand the same care and attention shown by President Duterte to government security forces.
Better compensation and benefits have lured many of the country’s health professionals overseas. A few years ago, the lack of doctors and other health professionals forced the shutdown of about a hundred health centers across the country. The demand for nurses in other countries eventually tapered off, but this also had a downside as nursing graduates were forced to accept jobs for salaries that were sometimes below the minimum wage. In some cases, new graduates even had to pay hospitals so they could obtain work credits.
Today the glut in nurses persists, but this doesn’t mean health centers are crowded with nurses. Because of the unattractive pay in their profession, nurses are simply taking other jobs. The lack of health professionals means long waiting lines at most hospitals including the top private facilities.
Duque will also have to oversee the reproductive health program – one of the 10 items in President Duterte’s socioeconomic agenda, which remains in limbo because of a restraining order issued by the Supreme Court. The fate of the order depends on recommendations of the Food and Drug Administration, which seems to be waiting for a stronger nudge from the health secretary or the President himself to get the work done.
Health insurance coverage has expanded but is still not enough, considering the limited government resources. A visit to the Philippine General Hospital or the other major government health centers at any hour will clearly show the inadequacy of public health care. Duque is not new to the post and knows the problems. He is expected to achieve more in his second turn at the job.