MANILA, Philippines — The government must make sure medical graduates will have job opportunities, as well as compensation aside from providing medical scholarships, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), said on Saturday.
This after the Senate approved the proposed “Doktor Para sa Bayan Act” which aims to give full medical scholarships to deserving Filipino students which will address the shortage of doctors nationwide.
“In the long view, there is a need to ensure that medical graduates will stay for good in the country by providing commensurate compensation, sufficient employment opportunities, quality health facilities, and other essential support,” CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said in a statement which gives support to the bill seeking to grant medical scholarships.
“Allocating sufficient budget and investment for healthcare and medical practitioners shall redound to the health of all Filipinos and will prove beneficial in the long term development of our nation,” she added.
The commission also reiterated that medical scholarships will address the “uneven distribution” of the health workforce as additional doctors will be sent to rural communities.
“Medical workers and hospitals are concentrated in urban areas, which greatly disadvantages the rural communities. Through the proposed measure, we can expect more doctors to serve their own community and contribute to the improvement of health status particularly in rural and remote areas,” De Guia said.