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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Duque says 'pointless' to compare PH's pandemic response to other nations

Duque says 'pointless' to compare PH's pandemic response to other nations

Published Apr 30, 2021 01:01 pm

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said it is “pointless” to compare the pandemic response of the government to other countries.

(JANSEN ROMERO / MANILA BULLETIN)

“It’s very difficult to be comparing. You will just be frustrated. There will always be better countries or worst countries fairing than us,” Duque said in an ANC interview Friday, April 30.

“So it is pointless because the response is dynamic. It must take into consideration what the structure is of the health system, like in the Philippines, we have a fragmented health system,” he added.

Because of the Local Government Code, the health chief explained that the public health services of the Department of Health (DOH) have been devolved to the local government units (LGUs).

“So to me, by at large, the more fragmented the healthcare system it appears na mas nahihirapan ang response (that the response more difficult), rather than ‘yung unified command one integrated health system,” Duque said.

“I would say that it’s been a weakness that the fragmentation of the health system has really contributed to some of the delays in the response,” he added.

Duque believes this is a “strategic issue” that needs to be addressed.

Officials have repeatedly defended the government’s handling of the pandemic in the country, with Presidential spokesman Harry Roque at one point claimed that the government did an “excellent” job in its COVID-19 response.

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