DOH exploring ways to address shortage of health-care workers

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) is exploring various options to shore up the number of health personnel assigned in hospitals, including coordinating with the universities where the medical professionals obtained their degree.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said on Monday that while there are thousands of slots available for health-care workers under their emergency hiring program, there are just not enough medical front-liners applying now as their numbers have “plateaued” compared with previous months.

“There were a lot of takers before, but I think we have already exhausted [the supply], especially here in Metro Manila … Only a few are applying now,” Vergeire said.

It is for this reason, she said, that the DOH is looking for ways to further increase the number of health-care workers, including partnering with universities that may recommend batches who may be hired, as well as tapping other medical professionals who may be assigned in hospitals with issues on staffing.

Out of the total 8,810 approved slots, the DOH has already hired 6,002 medical front-liners, as of Sunday. They are deployed in 336 health facilities across the country, including the various quarantines. The emergency hires are mostly assigned in DOH hospitals, accounting for 42 percent of the total.

Infected front-liners

Asked if the continued rise in the number of coronavirus disease cases may be scaring away applicants, Vergeire said she could not say for sure if this was a factor.

“But if you’re a health-care worker, we have a commitment to serve. During these times, yes we may be scared, but trust that you will be taken care of. Second, it’s the commitment to help serve the country,” Vergeire said.

There are already a total 4,443 health-care workers who have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19. At the start of the month, the number of infected health personnel stood at 3,421.

Of the current total, 3,456 have already recovered, while 709 are mild cases, 240 are asymptomatic and two are severely ill. A total of 36 medical front-liners have succumbed to the severe respiratory disease.

According to Vergeire, one of the factors they are looking at to explain the increase in the number of infected health workers was because of the front-liners’ preference to return to their homes over staying in the dormitories provided by the hospitals.