Demand of health care workers still unmet

Inquirer’s banner photo last Oct. 12 showed nurses from private and public hospitals holding “placards” showing their ongoing clamors (more like lamentations) toward the government. To enumerate: (1) Immediate release of all COVID benefits such as the special risk allowance, health emergency allowance, one COVID allowance; (2) Salary increase to P50,000 for all nurses; (3) Implementation of a safe nurse-to-patient ratio; and (4) Ending contractualization and regularizing all contract workers. It has been two years since the COVID-19 pandemic began but our overworked, underpaid, overstretched, and underappreciated health care workers (HCWs) are still begging for the benefits and allowances that are rightly due them.

Hopes are up for the release of long-delayed benefits of HCWs under the stewardship of (hopefully) fresh blood and minds in pertinent departments under the new Marcos Jr. administration. From the previous health secretary to the current officer in charge, the clamors of HCWs still remain clamors. It’s like urging a turtle to run a little faster in order to catch the speedy hare. More than a hundred days have passed under the new administration, and still, the most crucial department in this pandemic has no officially appointed head.

The mandate of the Department of Health (DOH) doesn’t only include the health care of Filipinos. It also includes looking after the health of HCWs—not only in terms of physical health but health in all aspects: emotional health, mental health, and financial health, among others. DOH, please take good care of your foot soldiers—the so-called heroes of the pandemic. There has been much praise and adulation echoed for the bravery of medical frontliners since 2020. That’s well and good. But what would be much better, tummy-filling, and wallet-filling amid the current inflation, DOH, is to rightfully compensate what is constitutionally due our HCWs.

PAMELA I. CLAVERIA, M.D.,

dokceemitch@gmail.com