CDC opens new country office in PH, commemorates MOU with DOH

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

MANILA-- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officially opened its new country office in Manila this month to strengthen and expand its existing cooperation with the Philippine Department of Health (DOH) for a broad range of shared health priorities, including increased health security in Asia.

The DOH and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) also commemorated the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Health and Medical Sciences for increased collaboration between the United States and the Philippines on public health emergency preparedness and response; the prevention and control of vaccine-preventable and communicable diseases and the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases.

HHS Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs Loyce Pace said that Dr. Romel Lacson serves as CDC’s first Country Director for the Philippines.  In collaboration with partners, relationship with the DOH to address shared health priorities.

U.S. Embassy in the Philippines Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Heather Variava said partnering on health issues is not new to the countries’ 75-year history of diplomatic relations, but the opening of a CDC Philippine office and signing this MOU strengthen this key aspect of the bilateral relationship.

Pace added that with the opening of the U.S. CDC Philippines country office, “we are further reinforcing the long-standing HHS partnership between our two countries and our work together to build a healthier world.”

Lacson, on the other hand noted that in this new era, partnership is more essential than ever. “We must be willing to take on challenges together and create opportunities together.  This is why the launch of this office and our work together is so important,” he added.

The launch of the CDC Philippines Country Office illustrates CDC’s and DOH’s commitment to continue to work together to prevent and control diseases, strengthen public health emergency preparedness and response, and expand health security capacity, Lacson shared.

CDC is the United States’ public health agency and lead implementer of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).  Through its new office, CDC also provides DOH with critical technical assistance and support services to intensify the country’s HIV and tuberculosis prevention, treatment, and care efforts, and to slow the twin epidemics.

In the last four years, the Philippines experienced the fastest-growing HIV epidemic in the Southeast Asia/Pacific region, with a sevenfold increase in newly diagnosed cases from 2010 to 2018.  

Due to this increased HIV burden, the Office of the United States Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy included the Philippines in the 2020 PEPFAR Asia region program.