President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday expressed his desire for the establishment of our own Center for Disease Control and Prevention and a vaccine institute to better prepare the country during health emergencies and combat new and lethal viruses such as Covid-19 and the likes.
“Sa pakikipagtulungan ng Kongreso, itatatag natin ang ating sariling Center for Disease Control and Prevention at isang vaccine institute,” Marcos said in his first State of the Nation Address.
The CDC is the national public health agency of the United States which is tasked to protect public health and safety through the control and prevention of disease, injury, and disability in the US and worldwide.
In his speech, Marcos also cited the need to establish more health centers and hospitals that will cater to the needs of Filipinos in rural areas.
“Beyond the issues that the pandemic has brought, the need for a stronger health care system is self-evident. We must bring medical services to the people and not wait for them to come to our hospitals and health care centers,” said Marcos.
Marcos hailed the advantages offered by specialty hospitals, such as the Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, and National Children’s Hospital, which provide access to exceptional expertise, resources, and therapy programs that aren’t commonly available at general hospitals.
The chief executive said this is why the country needs to add specialty hospitals and build them outside the National Capital Region to reach more Filipinos in need of accessible and affordable healthcare.
“Kaya maliwanag sa atin na hindi lang dapat dito sa National Capital Region, kundi maging sa ibang parte ng bansa kailangang magdagdag ng ganitong uri ng mga pagamutan,” said Marcos.
He assured that the government would also exert all efforts to bolster the welfare of doctors, nurses, and other medical frontliners.
“One of the cornerstones of a strong healthcare system is the provision of competent and efficient medical professionals,” said Marcos. PND
