"As the COVID-19 pandemic turned one year, we urge the Duterte government to seriously consider not only replacing IATF-EID leadership with competent professionals but also implement science-based proposals to curb the worsening pandemic," Agham said. Duterte must overhaul its failed COVID-19 pandemic response approach. It should start with replacing IATF-EID leadership with competent medical and scientific professionals." "It is clear that Duterte’s militarist approach and the IATF-EID leadership cannot solve the public health crisis. "This can be considered as a minimum estimate of excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic," the group said.

Source: Philippine Star March 24, 2021 07:30 UTC