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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DOH chief vows to designate focal person for senior citizen concerns

DOH chief vows to designate focal person for senior citizen concerns

Published Jun 14, 2023 03:53 am
Health Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa has vowed to designate a focal person within the Department of Health (DOH) who would focus on handling the welfare of the country’s senior citizens.           Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teodoro Herbosa (MB File Photo)
Herbosa said this would be one of his priority reforms to be implemented based on the suggestion of Senator Francis Tolentino on the need to designate a focal person considering that "senior citizens are the ones with higher morbidity.” Tolentino made the suggestion during his weekly radio program on DZRH where Herbosa was his guest. Last February, Tolentino filed Senate Bill 1799, or the proposed “Comprehensive Senior Citizen Welfare Act.’’ Under the said bill, the DOH, in coordination with local government units (LGUs), non-government organizations (NGOs) and people's organization (POs) for senior citizens, shall institute a national health program and shall provide an integrated health service for the elderly. Tolentino explained that there should be a designated official in-charge within the DOH hierarchy that would solely focus on health and welfare of Filipinos aged 60 years old and above to ensure their well-being, considering various morbidity/comorbidity that could occur in that life period. Herbosa, for his part, admitted that there is currently no one in charge when it comes to handling senior citizen concerns based on the DOH’s organizational chart, but the former National Task Force adviser concurred with Tolentino’s suggestion that there should be a focal person on the matter. “Hiningi ko yung organizational functional chart nila ngayon (I asked for their organizational chart). Wala e. (There is none). Alam ko kasi mayroon iyan (I know there is one). In fact, ako iyon (dati) eh (In fact, I was the one).  Ako yung in-charge undersecretary for seniors and mga persons with disability kaya ako yung pinupuntahan ng mga organizations at tinututukan iyan (I was the incharge undersecretary for seniors and persons with disability. That is why I was the one being approached by many organizations for seniors and persons with disability). Hindi ko ngayon mahanap iyan eh (Now, I can’t find it),” he pointed out. “Ilalagay ko na iyan at priority ko po iyan kasi ako po ay isang senior citizen at kailangan nila ng tulong (I will fill that post and make it s priority because i, too, am a senior citizen and they need it). Sila yung mas maraming iniinom na gamot, sila yung mas kailangan madalas bantayan, sila yung nagkaka-stroke, nagkaka-heart attack, at iyon yung mga top diseases, causes of death natin e (They are the ones who take many medicines, they are the ones who need to be taken care of, they suffer stroke and heart attack that are our top diseases). So, I think it’s very important,” the cabinet official stressed.

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