CASCOLAN BILANG DOH USEC, MALAKING INSULTO SA HEALTH EXPERTS – AHW

Itinalaga bilang bagong undersecretary ng Department of Health (DOH) si dating Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Camilo Cascolan ngayong araw.

“Yes, we confirm the receipt of appointment papers of Mr. Camilo Cascolan, Atty. Charade Mercado-Grande and several directors,” ayon sa DOH sa brief statement.

“We will make available the assignments of our Execom members to you as soon as available,” dagdag pa nito.

Kabilang din sa mga bagong itinalagang undersecretary ng DOH na makakasama ni Cascolan ay sina: Lilibeth David, Carolina Vidal-Taino, Abdullah Dumama, Kenneth Ronquillo, Nestor Santiago, at Maria Francia Laxamana.

Samantala, na-reappoint naman bilang health assistant secretary si Mercado-Grande.

Bukod kay Mercado Grande, ang iba pang DOH assistant secretary ay sina Beverly Ho, Maylene Beltran, and Frances Ontalan.

INSULTO

Binatikos naman ng Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) ang naging hakbang ni Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. sa pagkakatalaga kay Cascolan bilang undersecretary ng DOH.

Ayon sa AHW, isa itong malinaw na pagpapakita ng labis na kawalan ng pagmamalasakit ng Pangulo sa buhay, kalusugan, kaligtasan at kapakanan ng health workers at ng buong Filipino sa bansa.

“Cascolan’s appointment is a huge insult to our health experts who are most qualified to administer and run the affairs of the DOH,” saad ng AHW.

“The country’s health workers prefer an undersecretary “who has a clean tract record, not a red-tagger, one whose hands are not tainted with the bloody drug war and one who truly upholds the rule of justice,”

Ang nais din anila makatrabaho ng medical workers ang isang health Undersecretary na eksperto sa pagpuksa sa nakamamatay at nakakahawang sakit, hindi ang isang eksperto sa paglabag sa human rights at extrajudicial killings.

Sinabi pa ng grupo na ang pagkakatalaga kay Cascolan ay “salungat sa mandato ng DOH na tiyakin ang pagkakaloob ng de-kalidad na serbisyong pangkalusugan na nararapat sa bawat mamamayang Filipino.”

“With the country’s deteriorating health situation wherein poverty-related, communicable and preventable diseases like tuberculosis, Covid-19 and cardiovascular problems remained top causes of mortality and morbidity, there is a need for a free, scientific and comprehensive health approach in combating diseases than a militarist approach,” ayon sa AHW.