Healthcare workers from regions come to NCR’s rescue

MANILA – To augment the need for more healthcare workers (HCWs) in the National Capital Region, the Department of Health is redeploying 136 doctors and nurses from other regions to seven DOH hospitals, two specialty hospitals, and one regional hospital in the NCR.

The first batch of redeployed HCWs, consisting of 42 doctors and nurses from Regions 1, 4-A and 5, was assigned to East Avenue Medical Center and Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City, Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Caloocan City, and Amang Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Marikina City.

This week, another 94 HCWs from Regions 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and BARMM will be redeployed to six other hospitals – National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Lung Center of the Philippines and the off-site extension of Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center at the Quezon Institute in Quezon City, San Lazaro Hospital and Tondo Medical Center in Manila, and Rizal Medical Center in Pasig City.

Under the program, all redeployed HCWs are entitled to swab testing prior, during, and post-deployment, per diem, work transportation expenses, accommodation, and meals, among others, on top of their salaries and other emoluments from their mother offices.

The DOH and the Metro Manila Center for Health Development expressed their “sincerest gratitude and appreciation to the hospitals and healthcare workers for heeding the call to join the NCR frontline and supporting its response.”

“DOH also commits to supporting hospitals and other health facilities in the fight against Covid through continuous provision of personal protective equipment and augmentation of human resources for health through redeployment and hiring to ensure that there are adequate healthcare workers that can provide quality health services to Covid-19 and other patients in need of medical care,” the agency said in a news release.

The DOH also calls on the public to utilize local government hotlines and telemedicine services for initial consults and non-emergency cases to help decongest hospitals. (PR)