Faction leader Jerrel Pawiroredjo has sounded the alarm over the state of Suriname's public health service, the Bureau voor Openbare Gezondheidszorg, known as the BOG. He warned that the institute is nearly defunct and must be urgently reinforced. Pawiroredjo voiced the criticism during a meeting of De Nationale Assemblée, the national parliament, on Thursday 22 October. His argument is that a weakened BOG can no longer properly investigate and tackle the growing health risks confronting the country. In his words, an important institution is on the verge of being lost. He tied the bureau's decline directly to the wellbeing of the population, which depends on its inspections and research. What he wants now is concrete reinforcement of the service rather than further erosion.