THE Department of Health in Davao Region (DOH-Davao) is needing more than 500 workers to help in their effort against coronavirus disease (Covid-19) after 41 healthcare workers tested positive with the virus.
During the virtual presser, DOH-Davao Assistant Secretary Lenny Joy Rivera bared that out of the 215 individuals positive for Sars-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19, in Davao Region as of May 18, 41 of them are health care workers.
She said since these health workers will be put to quarantine as well as those they had in contact with, their manpower has gradually declined.
“That was the reason nag-request na nga ang DOH ng mga volunteers and at the same time hiring na po kami ngayon (We have been calling for volunteers and now we are hiring),” she said.
“For Davao Region, may additional kaming more than 500 [workers]. Ongoing yung interview namin ng 500 na health workers including encoders and admin people para po dun sa mga facilities kasi nga nauubusan na po tayo ng mga health workers (We need an additional of 500 workers including those who will be assigned in our isolation facilities),” she added.
Rivera said these health workers are also needed to attend to non-Covid-19 patients.
Meanwhile, the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) Chief of Clinic Ricardo Audan said out of 1,000 employees they have tested, 24 were health care workers including doctors, nurses, and administrative staff.
Other employees that were currently admitted include internists, obstetrics and gynecology doctors, nursing attendants, and housekeeping.
Rivera said aside from health care workers, they are also hiring facility managers, security personnel, ambulance drivers, and maintenance staff.
She, however, assured they are continuously assessing their manpower and their protocols to ensure the quality delivery of health service.