Tony Leachon steps down as DOH special adviser
MANILA, Philippines — Health reform advocate Tony Leachon has resigned from his position as the Department of Health’s special adviser for non-communicable diseases, just one month after his appointment.
Leachon cited personal reasons for his resignation in a letter addressed to Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa.
In a statement Tuesday, Leachon said the budget deliberations of the DOH at the House of Representatives last week was an “eye-opener.” Rep. Janette Garin (Iloilo), a former health chief, questioned Leachon’s expertise on public health.
Leachon works as a cardiologist and internist at the Manila Doctors’ Hospital.
“It’s not good to be defending one’s qualifications in the public eye. At this stage, I do not have to prove anything anymore,” Leachon said.
“I want to focus on my family, clinical practice, small health advocacy programs, and self-care measures too,” he added.
Leachon served as a COVID-19 task force adviser until he resigned in June 2020. At the time, he said that he felt compelled to resign, and that his communication style did not align with the strategy of Malacañang.
Leachon had said during the height of the highly-politicized Dengvaxia mess in 2017 that the rollout of the dengue vaccine should have been done on a controlled scale. The mass immunization program of school children against dengue was launched during Garin’s term as the health chief.
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