Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 23) — At least seven health facilities requested additional healthcare workers amid the coronavirus crisis.
In an online briefing on Thursday, Health Spokesperson Ma. Rosario Vergeire said they have begun the process of hiring 701 medical personnel for the Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City, Philippine General Hospital in Manila, Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital and Sanitarium or Tala Hospital in Caloocan City and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City.
Vergeire did not name the three other hospitals.
She said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved the budget for the emergency hiring of 857 health workers. The Department of Health (DOH) estimates that as many as 15,000 health personnel should be hired in COVID-19 response efforts.
“Dahil hindi sapat ang budget ng DOH, nagrequest po tayo ng budget sa DBM para dito. Sa panahong ito ang budget para sa 857 health workers pa lang ang naaprobaan ng ating DBM,” Vergeire said.
[Translation: Because the DOH does not have enough budget, we requested DBM for additional budget for this. As of this moment, only the budget for 857 health workers has been approved by the DBM.]
The number of COVID-19 cases in the country rose to 6,981 on Thursday. At least 722 people have recovered from the viral illness while 462 have died.
The DOH on Wednesday said among those infected are 1,062 health workers. Of this number, 26 succumbed to the disease, including 19 doctors.
The government is covering the treatment expenses of all infected medical personnel and has granted them benefits, including a hazard pay of ₱500 daily for those under the public sector. There are efforts to also set a minimum hazard pay for health workers in the private sector.
