FORMER health secretary and now House deputy majority leader Janette Garin said the withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization may affect the resilience of the country’s health and other programs being supported by the WHO and even USAID.

“Napakaimportante nito sa Pilipinas kasi maraming usaping kalusugan at maraming programa sa kalusugan na kumukuha tayo ng funding support sa WHO. And of course, expected na ‘yung USAID ay bababa ang mga tinutulong nito sa mga bansa sa movement na ito,” Garin said on Thursday when asked regarding the implications of US’ withdrawal from WHO.

Moreover, the lawmaker expressed concern over the potential implications of such a move, saying that it could pave the way for countries such as China or Russia—given their substantial economies—to assume leadership of the health organization, granting them access to sensitive information that might pose an international security threat.

“Ang kalusugan kapag may pandemya threat ‘yan sa buong mundo so sila ang mag initial access, that is what is going to happen.”

The former health secretary also flagged the need to reform the WHO costs, saying that unnecessary expenses should be reduced, such as the “frequent travels” and “wine and dine,” to allocate more funds to health-related matters.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order for the US to withdraw from WHO. 

Meanwhile, the lawmaker believes that Trump made the decision as they want to spend more for their internal needs, which she said is “understandable.”

“‘Yung sinasabing mishandling nung pandemic, walang perpektong response sa pandemic, kaya sa totoo lang ang pananaw ko dyan, naghahanap lang ng rason ang America, ang katotohanan dyan, talagang nagtitipid sila because they want to spend more for their internal needs which is understandable sa panahong ito,” Garin noted.

The Iloilo First District Representative also pointed out the important role of WHO to global health as it primarily conducts surveillance to public health emergencies nationwide. (END)

FORMER health secretary and House deputy majority leader Janette Garin said on Monday that the Department of Health must have a group of experts who should speak about their specializations in the medical field to ensure that information given to the public are factual.

Garin described DOH as a ‘very important institution’ that the public looks up to as a credible agency where only real experts must be allowed to be interviewed.

“The health department must have a team of doctors and talking heads who can immediately liaise with with real specialty societies and each specialty society can assign a spokesperson,” Garin, a doctor, said in an interview with ANC’s Headstart.

“It has been documented several times that when you demonize a certain vaccine it creates mistrust in all vaccination and public health programs,” the Iloilo First District representative added.

Garin also mentioned that the Doctors for Truth, composed of medical experts, academicians, scientists and former health secretaries have called on the DOH not to allow the Public Attorney’s Office to propagate anti-vaccine advocacies and sentiments.

She also raised awareness regarding the infodemic wherein there are “too much information including, false or misleading information” being disseminated to the public which have result med in mistrust to health programs.

“The impact of fake news and anti-vaccine campaign transcend to even those who are supposed to be protected by vaccines,” the doctor-lawmaker stressed. (END)

House Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo First District Representative Janette Garin said that in order to end malnutrition the government must focus on providing a long-term solution.

“Malnutrition needs a long-term solution,” Garin said in an interview with ONE News on Friday, adding that problems on malnutrition are interrelated to safe water provision.

“Another problem is the availability of safe water because this has contributed a lot to many patients [as there are children who experience diarrhea due to drinking of unsafe water,” the lawmaker added.

Garin also called to provide support to rural areas on backyard farming to ensure that the children will have nutritious food available.

Meanwhile, former health secretary said one of the biggest problems in relation to malnutrition stemmed from the lack of nutrition of pregnant women as nutrition of children starts from conception.

According to United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), every day, 95 children in the Philippines die from malnutrition and twenty-seven out of 1,000 Filipino children do not get past their fifth birthday.

Knowledge gained from nutrition-related trainings and seminars must have actual implementation as it would have positive impact in addressing the problems of malnutrition, Garin said.

“Solving malnutrition is not just a government’s problem but it should be a collaboration between our constituents. DOH should not stop in [having partnership or agreement] with UNICEF. The biggest problem that they have is the actual implementation on the grounds,” Garin said.

Earlier, the Department of Health (DOH) and UNICEF have inked partnership to strengthen health in the country to address malnutrition.