The reimposition of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila was "barely felt" by "exhausted" health workers overwhelmed by the surge in cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) needing hospital care.
Nurse Cristy Donguines, president of the Alliance of Health Workers Union at the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center said despite placing Metro Manila under the strictest lockdown, the rise of COVID-19 patients awaiting admissions in various hospitals still increase every day.
"Pagod na pagod na po kami, hindi naging epektibong solusyon ang enhanced community quarantine. Sa katunayan, ngayon pa lang ay patuloy na ramdam namin ang pagdami at pagtaas ng kaso ng COVID-19 araw-araw sa mga ospital (We are so tired, ECQ has not been an effective solution. In fact, even now we still continue to feel the increase of COVID-19 cases every day in hospitals)," Donguines said in a virtual forum on Monday, Aug. 16.
"Sa bahagi naming health workers, mas ramdam namin ang pagod, sakit ng katawan, at sobrang pagkabalisa na may halong takot at pangamba lalo sa kalagayan ngayon na may Delta sa aming mga ospital at kagabi lang ay meron nang na kaso ng Lambda variant (We, health workers, feel more tired, our body aches, and we also feel fear anxiety especially because there are now Delta variant cases in our hospitals and upon learning that there's already a confirmed case of the Lambda variant here)," she lamented.
Donguines added that public hospitals remained understaffed so health workers are working longer hours and more prone to burnout.
"In COVID-19 wards in public hospitals, there's a ratio of 1 nurse to 10 to 12 patients, they take care of moderate to severe COVID-19 cases. This is difficult because, since patients are not allowed to bring guardians, nurses and nursing attendants are the ones who are take care of every patient's needs," she said in Filipino.
Due to low salaries and lack of benefits, Donguines said many of her fellow health workers already resigned or filed for early retirement.
She added that while COVID-19 cases are rising and COVID-19 wards are exceeding capacities, the hospitals' shortage of medical equipment, such as high-flow oxygen machines and mechanical ventilators have not been addressed.
On Saturday, Aug. 14, the Department of Health (DOH) vowed to provide aid to provincial hospitals nearing full capacity amid rising COVID-19 infections.
DOH said it will provide ventilators, high-flow oxygen machines, and additional healthcare workers if needed.