By Ellen Tordesillas
HEALTH Secretary Enrique Ona’s one-month leave of absence ends today.
The health community is awaiting the decision of the President on Ona, who was embroiled in the controversy over the P800 million purchase of pneumonia vaccine, PCV10 (Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine 10) when there was PCV 13 at a lesser price.
The result of the NBI investigation on the issues raised against Ona would be an important consideration in the President’s decision.
If the President decides to retain Ona, that means he is cleared of all the issues against him.
This week, another issue came up: the authorization of Ona of the use for the treatment of dengue and malaria a drug that did not pass clinical trial.
Actually, Ona is not new to controversies. When he was first appointed there were opposition against him because of his alleged involvement in unethical kidney transplant procedures and organ trafficking during his stint as medical director of the National Kidney Institute.
The Phil Society of Nephrology opposed his practices at NKTI during that time. Secretary Ona was asked to sign an administrative order not to honor non-related kidney donors coming from Middle East countries.
Ona was also involved in the unproven stem cell leading to controversial issues opposed by 20 medical societies in August 2013.
He is also being asked to give a report on how the DOH has used the P100 billion generated from the Sin tax.
If the President decides to let go of Ona, it makes good sense that the replacement would be an insider considering that only 19 months are left in the Aquino administration. An insider would not need a familiarization period.
If the President decides on an insider, the frontrunners are the two undersecretaries: Janet Garin, who is now the acting secretary and Ted Herbosa.
Herbosa is identified with Ona. If he becomes the health secretary, it would be back to business as usual for Ona’s “mafia” in the department.
Garin from her acts while acting secretary showed that there’s no love lost between her and Ona.
Garin does not also come with clean hands having been identified by whistleblowers in the pork barrel scam as among those who benefitted from the misuse of P5 billion from the funds of the defunct National Agribusiness Corp.
But what really is working against Garin is her penchant for grandstanding. The best example is her visit with AFP chief Gregorio Pio Catapang, accompanied by a photographer, to the quarantined peacekeepers from Ebola-plagued Libera, in Caballo island in Cavite.
All these reports of anomalies at the DOH are lamentable because it concern the health of the Filipino people.
As one doctor said: “You expect Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Internal Revene, Department of Public Works and Services to be corrupt. But not DOH. It’s for social services.
“It’s the public face of compassion and care. You entrust yourself to the Department of Health for your health. Trust is eroded. They have no place in public service. Ona betrayed Public trust and his boss’ Tuwid na Daan mantra.”
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