Filipino Healthcare Workers: Do or Die?

Filipino Healthcare Workers: Do or Die? by Fatima Riesa A. Karay

Fatigued with all the working hours they have to endure during this pandemic, sacrificing their own safety to help other people, abiding the pledge they made to be of better service to their country, yet despite all these heroic acts deemed to be worthy of praise, what Filipino health workers got in return was discrimination and a government shutting them off when they plead for support. Making it a choice to either do or die.

COVID-19 continues to take a toll on Filipino healthcare workers. As of August 01, 2020, 38 of the Filipino healthcare workers have lost their lives to COVID-19, while 4, 576 out of 5,008 cases amongst health workers have recovered according to the Department of Health. But there are still people around the internet who blame ― healthcare workers for the continuous rise of the virus. What they do not know is they are the ones being neglected. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, is being called out for resignation because of his negligence and inefficiency as a leader. He stated that the country had already flattened the curve, due to the mortality rates slowing down despite other healthcare authorities admitting that ―the country’s Rn-PHaught number (R0) — which signifies the number of people who may be infected by a single COVID-19 patient — had slightly increased from 1.09 to 1.23.

"We were late for testing, contact tracing is almost non-existent, hospitals short of protective gear – we need to be better. Buhay ng mga Pilipino ang nakasalalay dito (The lives of Filipinos are at stake here)," Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said when at least 14 senators signed a resolution against Duque’s resignation for failure of leadership, negligence, lack of foresight, and inefficiency."

Last August 01, 2020, medical healthcare workers voiced out their concerns regarding inadequate facilities, shortage in medical personnel, and plead to impose strict lockdown during a virtual conference, but instead of hearing them out, President Rodrigo Duterte called them out to be sparking up a revolution against the country.

“The call was for the DOH and IATF to provide the healthcare workers a fighting chance in the war against COVID-19 and prevent unnecessary fatalities – nothing more” Philippine College of Physicians’ President Mario Panaligan wrote in their letter for clarification regarding their so called “revolution.” This goes to show how the government invalidates the grievances of the tireless healthcare workers. What the government needs to do right now is to support the medical community instead of doing militarized approach or unnecessary legislations that doesn’t even help contain the virus. The administration needs to move by leaps and bounds before the healthcare system collapses.