HEALTH authorities expressed alarm on the number of reported harassment and discrimination incidents against frontline healthcare workers in hospitals.
In a statement posted on the official Facebook page of Department of Health (DOH)-Davao, the agency condemned the attacks and physical assaults of their healthcare workers, fearing that they might be a carrier of coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
There are also reports that they were deprived of the basic necessities such as public transport and laundry.
DOH said it is coordinating with law enforcers to make those perpetrators accountable for their actions and to ensure the protection and safety of frontline workers.
"These acts cannot be tolerated. We are mobilizing our own personnel in efforts to ascertain more details and hold perpetrators of these attacks liable and reporting these incidents to the Inter-Agency Task Force on Covid-19 for proper investigation and resolution," DOH said.
Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) chief of clinics and Health Emergency Management Bureau (HEMB) coordinator Dr. Ricardo Audan allayed the fears of the public and assured that extra precaution is being taken to ensure infection prevention and control.
He said SPMC personnel adhere to proper wearing of personnel protective equipment (PPE) in the hospital and regular handwashing to avoid contamination.
He added that social distancing is being strictly observed with at least two-meter distance.
The reports have also gotten the ire of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio after she learned that there are healthcare workers who were splashed with water and evicted from the houses they rented.
Duterte-Carpio reminded the public to give their respect to the hospital personnel, including the doctors, nurses, medical technologists, nursing aid, and all the hospital workers who are putting their lives on the line to combat the health crisis.
"These are the very people who are protecting us right now. Sila jud ang naa didto atubangan sa kagaw so we must give our full respect sa kini nga mga individuals because kung wala ni sila walay mupugong sa kagaw sa atoang mga pasyente ug mga hospitals and kung walay mupugong, maangol gyud ta tanan (The healthcare workers are working to fight the virus so we must give our full support to these individuals. If it weren't for them, nobody will prevent the spread of the virus among the patients and in the hospital, we will all suffer)," Duterte-Carpio said.