CEBU CITY – In a bid to bolster its COVID-19 response, the city is offering competitive wages for newly hired nurses. The problem is, only a few is answering the call.
The city is targeting to hire at least 200 nurses to address the depleted medical manpower that has caused hospitals to be overwhelmed due to the rising cases of COVID-19.
In separate bulletins, the city’s Public Information Office (PIO) and the Office of the Vice Mayor announced that newly hired nurses will receive wages raging from P38,000 to P45,000.
Councilor Joel Garganera, chief of the city’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), admitted the city is facing difficulties in hiring nurses.
“So far, there are only 14 applicants,” said Garganera.
Garganera said there are a lot of nurses who are opting to work in business process outsourcing (BPO) companies, which offers higher wages and safer working environment.
The city on Sunday opened the ‘Mega Stay-In Center’ at Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC), an isolation facility that can accommodate at least 150 asymptomatic COVID-19 patients.
The opening of the isolation facility is meant to help decongest overwhelmed hospitals.
As nurses are needed in the isolation facility, Acting City Mayor Michael Rama announced that he has sought assistance from the Cebu provincial government in recruiting health workers
“Just this day, I had a call with Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia... I said, ‘Gov, we need medical and health staff.' said Rama in his speech during the ceremonial blessing of the Mega Stay-In Center.
“We have the beds. We have the facilities. But we need your (Cebu province) help in providing manpower. Because without them, we cannot properly respond,” Rama added.
Councilor Eduardo Rama Jr. said there were several nurses who initially applied but backed out.
“From what information we received, some of them decided to back out because of the risks. There are a lot of factors (behind the low turnout),” the councilor said.
Based on the August 7 COVID-19 tracker of the Department of Health (DOH), the critical care utilization rate in both public and private hospitals here are nearing critical and alarming levels at 69.5 percent.
The city, which was placed under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) from August 1 to 15, had 3,640 active COVID-19 cases as of August 8.