New DOH Chief Vows Fight vs. Drug Addiction and Corruption to Ensure Better Health Service Delivery

New Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial said on Monday that aside from fighting drug addiction problem and preventing any form of corruption in the department, they will also be focusing on other health priorities at the same time.

In her first official press briefing as new Health Chief at the DOH Media Relations Unit in Tayuman, Sta. Cruz, Manila, Secretary Ubial assured that she will implement President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s marching orders versus drug addiction and corruption.

She said that they are starting to create a framework on how to make an entire government approach in terms of addressing the drug problem in the country.

She admitted that while there are no specific details of that framework right now, she is considering the upgrading and expansion of the facilities of the treatment and rehabilitation centers under the DOH, wherein they can begin to do the planning and strategies.

“I think we can start with that… Upgrading and expanding the services of our treatment and rehab centers. But I know the Duterte administration is formulating a really comprehensive government-wide strategy to address drug problem in this country,” she said.

She added that they are planning to design a community-based program wherein the patients can go instead of proceeding directly to a rehabilitation center itself.

She also said that President Duterte’s marching orders to be responsive to the needs of the people and being simple and frugal in spending of government resources should be followed in the entire department.

According to her, being frugal can be exemplified through choice of economy plane tickets in travelling and using the simplest forms of transportation of DOH health unit staffs in their delivery of services.

She also said she has started reminding the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and licensing bureaus to speed up the licensing process and avoid long waiting of those securing licenses.

She admitted that while reduction of long queues in government offices will be a challenge in hospitals, especially in the section of OPD (out-patient department), still, a lot of innovations can be introduced as a remedy.

She said that such can be done through software application by texting patients for doctor’s appointment so they don’t have to wait long for their turn.

She reminded that all clients in every unit of the agency should be given the utmost courtesy, special attention that they themselves would like to be given when coming to other government offices.

She called on the health workers to ensure that they give the best services that they can offer to the people to move the health sector agenda forward.

“I assure you, regional directors and hospital chiefs, that you have the full support of the DOH Central Office to ensure that you give the best services to the Filipino people… Wala po tayong ititipid when it comes to front-line services,” she said

Meanwhile, she said that other priorities on top of her mind center on sustaining the gains of universal health insurance wherein everyone should be enrolled, especially the poor, strengthening of service delivery network and better health outcomes on other health concerns that have not been given much focus in the past such as mental health, road traffic injuries, home injuries, burns, drowning, etc.(PNA) SCS/LSJ