Gov’t creates 26,035 jobs in DOH
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has approved the creation of 26,035 contractual positions in the Department of Health (DOH) to boost public access to health services.
The new jobs include positions for dentists, medical officers, medical technologists, midwives, nurses, nutritionists, pharmacists and physical therapists.
“They will be deployed to 1,634 cities and municipalities nationwide, especially in far-flung, geographically isolated, disadvantaged and remote areas with inadequate personnel to enhance the access to and delivery of health care services to the public,” the DBM said in a statement over the weekend.
New perks
In addition, the new positions will be covered by a new strategy meant to attract health workers and keep them in their positions.
“[These] contractual positions enjoy employer-employee relationship and are covered by civil service rules and regulations,” the DBM said.
Article continues after this advertisement“In the last 18 years, the DOH had been engaging medical and allied-medical workers on a contract of service basis and without employer-employee relationship,” the agency explained.
Article continues after this advertisement“In addition, said health workers are only receiving basic salaries without other benefits in the past years,” it added.
1 health worker per barangay
The DBM said the new contractual positions “will now receive benefits currently being received by a regular government personnel, such as personnel economic relief allowance, midyear bonus, year-end bonus and cash gift, among others.”
Under the Human Resource for Health Deployment Program (HRHDP), the DOH assigns at least one health worker in each barangay in order to serve residents for eight hours every day.
24/7 health services
“This program also augments the manpower complement of rural health units of different local government units to ensure the provision of health care services 24/7, especially emergency and birthing home services,” the DBM added.
“The HRHDP’s priority scope of areas include: geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas; municipalities belonging to sixth, fifth and fourth classes; identified municipalities with indigenous peoples; identified municipalities with certificate of ancestral domain title barangays; municipalities with identified pharmaceutical programs; and focus areas based on the Philippine plan of action for nutrition,” according to the DBM.
