Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teodoro Herbosa reaffirmed on Wednesday the government’s commitment to improving public health through strategic international collaboration following his visit to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Herbosa said the DOH engagement with the CDC Global Health Leadership “has been a significant step towards enhancing our capabilities in public health emergency preparedness, disease prevention and control, and the management of non-communicable diseases.”
He noted that the visit, which took place last June 25, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia, marked the beginning of deeper cooperation with the CDC aimed at safeguarding the health of the Filipinos.
They also met with Filipino healthcare professionals working for the US public health agency. He said this engagement aligns with the DOH’s 7th action agenda, which focuses on the welfare and rights of health workers.
Hosted by the Task Force for Global Health, an international nonprofit based in Atlanta, the meeting featured key figures such as Dr. Nancy Knight from the Task Force and Dr. Charlene Wong from the CDC. The gathering highlighted the CDC’s ongoing global health activities in the Philippines.
The DOH noted they look forward to working with the CDC on the establishment of public health operations center across the country and management of vaccine-preventable diseases, including HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis, respiratory illnesses, and other ailments.
The visit also included tours of various CDC facilities, providing valuable insights into advanced public health operations for the Philippine delegation.