Pinoy nurses in UK demand protective gear as 20 die

FILE – In this April 16, 2020, photo, personal protective equipment is displayed during a staff training session at the Nightingale Hospital North West, in Manchester in northern England. Hospitals on Monday, April 20, slammed Britain’s government for its failure to give medical staff appropriate clothing and equipment to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak. (AP Photo/Jon Super, File)

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Embassy in the United Kingdom has raised the need of Filipino nurses for personal protective equipment (PPE) after 20 Filipino medical workers died of COVID-19.

At least 50 UK-based Filipinos, by citizenship or ethnicity, have died of the respiratory disease, including three undocumented immigrants, the Philippine Embassy disclosed on Monday.

Around 19,000 Filipinos serve in England’s National Health Service (NHS). Another 4,300 Filipinos serve in Ireland’s Health Service Executive (HSE).

“The Philippine Embassy has brought to the attention of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office the concerns of Filipino nurses in Britain such as the need for more personal protective equipment, especially for those who are assigned at the COVID-19 wards,” it said.

The deaths of the Filipino health-care workers due to COVID-19 have “caused a stir among British society since it is well-known that Filipinos represent the third biggest group of NHS staff after the British and [the] Indians,” it added.

According to a March 2019 report, close to 19,000 Filipinos serve in England’s public health system as medical professionals, like nurses and allied health workers, and support staff personnel.

Deep concern

“We are deeply concerned about the deaths of Filipino health workers who sacrificed their lives as the world continues to fight this vicious disease,” Philippine Ambassador Antonio Lagdameo said.

“They put their lives on the line so that others may heal, live, and be reunited with their loved ones,” he added.

Majority of the UK-based Filipinos who died of COVID-19 had worked in hospitals across England, which has the highest number of lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United Kingdom with 93,030 out of 124,730, and the most hospital deaths with 14,828 out of the total 16,509 deaths.

The Philippine Embassy in London said independent fundraisers had been organized while several Filipino community organizations had contributed to efforts to support the health workers, such as providing them with face masks and hot meals.

The efforts of Filipino medical front-liners in England and Ireland have earned praises from the British and Irish peoples.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported that 143 Filipinos overseas had died from COVID-19. INQ