Quezon City Representative Alfred Vargas has asked Congress to urge the Department of Health (DOH) and other relevant government agencies to take immediate steps to address the alarming number of nurses and other health care workers leaving the country in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In House Resolution 2241, Vargas expressed concern over reports of health care workers leaving for other countries “due to the supposedly challenging working conditions” in the Philippines.
“Health care workers have been at the vanguard of protecting the health and welfare of the general public, as they risk their lives to serve and provide care especially for COVID-19 infected patients,” the Vargas resolution stated.
But despite orders from President Duterte to release long-delayed allowances and congressional allocations for hazard pay and other benefits, the Vargas resolution stated that health workers continue to face difficulties “accessing benefits duly provided by the government to recognize their heroism and dedication.”
“It is the duty of the government to ensure that the heroism and dedication of our health care workers are duly recognized and justly compensated amidst the ongoing pandemic, and that the proper implementation of such programs are transparent and accountable to the Filipino people,” the resolution added.
In a separate statement, Vargas stressed the urgency of addressing the concerns of health workers after the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAP) warned of a shortage in the number of nurses in the coming months.
The association said nurses continue to leave the country for higher-paying jobs abroad, and private hospitals are unable to pay them the equivalent salary to make them stay.
“I am appealing to the DOH to address the concerns and issues raised by our health workers. We need to take immediate action otherwise our hospitals and our entire health care system will have a hard time addressing not only COVID-19 cases but patients needing regular medical care,” he said.
Vargas said the issue goes beyond compensation.
“The focus should be to provide better working conditions and benefits not only for the duration of the pandemic, but for the long-term,” he said.
“As our heroes, health care workers deserve to be recognized and duly compensated not only with special risk allowances but with institutionalized programs that would cater to their needs and welfare which would in turn inspire and encourage them to serve in the country in the long run,” Vargas further said in his resolution.