DOH reports another COVID-19 death among health workers; total now at 34

MANILA, Philippines — A barangay health worker from the National Capital Region is the country’s 34th COVID-19 fatality among healthcare workers, the Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday.

In a televised press briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said they are currently coordinating with other government agencies to ascertain whether the family of the said health worker could still receive the P1-million death compensation mandated by the Bayanihan to Heal As One-Act which lapsed on June 24.

Under Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan Act, health workers who become severely ill in the line of duty are to get compensation of P100,000 while the family of those who died of COVID-19 in the line of duty should get P1 million.

“Dahil po nag-lapse na ang effectivity ng Bayanihan Law, kasalukuyan po tayong nakikipag-usap sa iba’t-ibang mga ahensya ng gobyerno upang patuloy na makapagbigay ng death benefits claim sa ating mga healthcare worker,” Vergeire said.

(Since the effectivity of Bayanihan Law has already lapsed, we are currently in talks with various government agencies to continue to give the death benefit claims to our healthcare workers.)

In its COVID-19 situation report released Tuesday evening, the DOH said there 3,372 healthcare workers who have been infected by the respiratory disease, of which 2,514 or 75 percent have recovered.

There are currently 38,511 confirmed COVID-19 infections nationwide, including 10,438 recoveries and 1,270 deaths.

CFC