Dr. Manuel M. Dayrit
Professor, ASMPH
Research Interests
Health Systems and Policy, Health Governance, Primary Care
Our Team
Contact Details
mdayrit@ateneo.eduAbout
Dr. Manuel M. Dayrit is Professor at the Ateneo School of Medicine in Public Health. In his 42 years as a public health practitioner, Dr. Dayrit worked with the Philippine government, the NGO sector, academia, the private sector, and the World Health Organization. He was Secretary of Health (Minister) of the Philippines from 2001 to 2005 when the Department of Health (DOH) was recognized for its effective implementation of disease control programs (including for SARS, dengue, tuberculosis, and vaccine-derived polio); the implementation of the health sector reform agenda which included widening the use of generic medicines; and the broadening of access to social insurance (PhilHealth) by indigents. Under his leadership, the DOH was cited among the top-performing government agencies. From 2005 to 2012, he was Director of the Department of Human Resources for Health at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva. The WHO Code on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel was developed during this time and adopted by Member States at the World Health Assembly in May 2010. Prior to this appointment, he was a member of the Commission on Social Determinants of the World Health Organization. From 2013-2018, he served as Dean of the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health (ASMPH), during which he broadened the research activities of the School and opened opportunities for the deployment and employment of ASMPH graduates to local governments, especially in the Eastern Visayas region and the province of Northern Samar. He active led projects which aimed to strengthen health systems in the country. He was the founding Director of the Philippines Field Epidemiology Training Program and directed it from 1986 to 1997. For work in the control of AIDS, cholera, and Red Tide, he was named an Outstanding Young Scientist by the National Academy of Science and Technology in 1990. In 2006, Dr. Dayrit became an Honorary Fellow of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. In 2008, he was the Centennial Awardee for Health of the Alumni Association of the University of the Philippines. He has published about 50 articles in community health, infectious disease control, and human resources for health about 26 of which are indexed in Scopus. He has 700 citations for various articles in ResearchGate.
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Health Systems
Deriving Lessons on Legislating Universal Health Care in the Philippines: A Historical Perspective (UHC Study)
The study aimed to inform future attempts to legislate health agenda and help the national and local governments prepare for challenges and manage risks in the implementation of the law.
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Health Systems
The Role of the Private Health Sector in UHC: Challenges and Opportunities in Asia
This research aims to investigate how Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines engage their private sectors when implementing UHC.
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Medical Education
Transforming Primary Healthcare in the Philippines: An Innovative Pilot Postgraduate Professional Development Program for Primary Physicians in the Province of Northern Samar (The “iPRIME” Project)
This project, funded by Newton Fund and the British Council, aimed to strengthen the training of the primary physician.
-
Health Systems
Developing Omnibus Policies of Existing Issuances on Local Government Units and Health Systems for the Department of Health (Omnibus Project)
This research project dealt with issuances of the Department of Health, as well as related laws and issuances from other government agencies.
-
Health Systems
Newton Fund Researchers Links Workshop On Utilizing Mathematical Modelling to Aid Governance in UHC in the Philippines (upcoming)
This week-long workshop, funded by the Newton Fund, is a collaborative effort between the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health and Public Health England.
-
Health Systems
WHO Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel
The numbers of migrating health workers have increased significantly over the past few decades and patterns of global migration have become more complex.
-
Health Systems
Epidemic Investigations of Enteric and Dengue Fever in an Urban Resettlement Area in Dasmariñas, Cavite II. Dengue Studies
An epidemic of typhoid fever occurred in the Bagong Bayan resettlement area in Dasmarinas, Cavite in November 1984 to April 1985.
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Health Systems
Epidemic Investigations of El Tor Cholera in an Institution for the Mentally Retarded in Alabang, Metro Manila
An investigation of an epidemic of El Tor cholera serotype Ogawa, was conducted in an institution for the mentally handicapped in Alabang, Metro Manila in the Philippines.
-
Health Systems
Early response to COVID-19 in the Philippines
We describe the early response of the Government, focusing on travel restrictions, community interventions, risk communication and testing, from 30 January 2020 to 21 March 2020.
-
Health Systems
Leadership in Public Health.
Written for aspiring young professionals, this chapter challenges readers to pursue their own path to leadership to become the principled leaders in global health today.
-
Health Systems
The importance of effective risk communication and transparency: lessons from the dengue vaccine controversy in the Philippines
In 2016, the Philippine Department of Health introduced a novel dengue vaccine in a mass immunization program to reduce the substantial economic and social burden of the disease on households and the government.
-
Health Systems
The Philippines Health System Review
The Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Policies is a collaborative partnership of interested governments, international agencies, foundations, and researchers.
-
Health Systems
Reaching the Promise of UHC: Healthcare Without Fear
The Philippines has increased population coverage for social health insurance (PhilHealth) to an unprecented high of 88% over the last 5 years.
-
Health Systems
HRH crisis in countries: how far have we gone? What can we expect to achieve by 2015?
The World Health Report 2006 identified 57 countries world-wide whose health worker to population density fell below a critical threshold of 2.3 per 1,000 population.
-
Health Systems
One Piece of the Puzzle to Solve the Human Resources for Health Crisis
This special theme issue of the Bulletin of the World Health Organization focuses on retention of health workers in rural and remote areas.
-
Health Systems
Deriving Lessons on Legislating Universal Health Care in the Philippines: A Historical Perspective (UHC Study)
The study aimed to inform future attempts to legislate health agenda and help the national and local governments prepare for challenges and manage risks in the implementation of the law.
-
Health Systems
The Role of the Private Health Sector in UHC: Challenges and Opportunities in Asia
This research aims to investigate how Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines engage their private sectors when implementing UHC.
-
Medical Education
Transforming Primary Healthcare in the Philippines: An Innovative Pilot Postgraduate Professional Development Program for Primary Physicians in the Province of Northern Samar (The “iPRIME” Project)
This project, funded by Newton Fund and the British Council, aimed to strengthen the training of the primary physician.
-
Health Systems
Developing Omnibus Policies of Existing Issuances on Local Government Units and Health Systems for the Department of Health (Omnibus Project)
This research project dealt with issuances of the Department of Health, as well as related laws and issuances from other government agencies.
-
Health Systems
Newton Fund Researchers Links Workshop On Utilizing Mathematical Modelling to Aid Governance in UHC in the Philippines (upcoming)
This week-long workshop, funded by the Newton Fund, is a collaborative effort between the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health and Public Health England.
-
Health Systems
WHO Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel
The numbers of migrating health workers have increased significantly over the past few decades and patterns of global migration have become more complex.
-
Health Systems
Epidemic Investigations of Enteric and Dengue Fever in an Urban Resettlement Area in Dasmariñas, Cavite II. Dengue Studies
An epidemic of typhoid fever occurred in the Bagong Bayan resettlement area in Dasmarinas, Cavite in November 1984 to April 1985.
-
Health Systems
Epidemic Investigations of El Tor Cholera in an Institution for the Mentally Retarded in Alabang, Metro Manila
An investigation of an epidemic of El Tor cholera serotype Ogawa, was conducted in an institution for the mentally handicapped in Alabang, Metro Manila in the Philippines.
-
Health Systems
Early response to COVID-19 in the Philippines
We describe the early response of the Government, focusing on travel restrictions, community interventions, risk communication and testing, from 30 January 2020 to 21 March 2020.
-
Health Systems
Leadership in Public Health.
Written for aspiring young professionals, this chapter challenges readers to pursue their own path to leadership to become the principled leaders in global health today.
-
Health Systems
The importance of effective risk communication and transparency: lessons from the dengue vaccine controversy in the Philippines
In 2016, the Philippine Department of Health introduced a novel dengue vaccine in a mass immunization program to reduce the substantial economic and social burden of the disease on households and the government.
-
Health Systems
The Philippines Health System Review
The Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Policies is a collaborative partnership of interested governments, international agencies, foundations, and researchers.
-
Health Systems
Reaching the Promise of UHC: Healthcare Without Fear
The Philippines has increased population coverage for social health insurance (PhilHealth) to an unprecented high of 88% over the last 5 years.
-
Health Systems
HRH crisis in countries: how far have we gone? What can we expect to achieve by 2015?
The World Health Report 2006 identified 57 countries world-wide whose health worker to population density fell below a critical threshold of 2.3 per 1,000 population.
-
Health Systems
One Piece of the Puzzle to Solve the Human Resources for Health Crisis
This special theme issue of the Bulletin of the World Health Organization focuses on retention of health workers in rural and remote areas.