AROUND 3,000 contact tracers are needed in Davao Region, who will help in tracing those who may have had direct contact with coronavirus disease (Covid-19)-positive patients, a Department of the Interior and Local Government-Davao Region (DILG-Davao) official said.
DILG-Davao Regional Director Alex Roldan said out of the 50,000 vacant slots of contact tracers nationwide, a total of 3,045 will be allocated in the region.
Roldan said the allocated figure was based according to the region's total number of population and the number of Covid-19 cases.
He said the allocation of the contact tracers per local government unit will also depend on its total population and Covid-19 cases.
With Davao City being the "Covid-19 hotspot" in the region for its significant number of cases, Rodal said it will have a greater share of the allocated contact tracers.
As of September 16, the Department of Health in Davao Region (DOH-Davao) recorded a total of 2,533 cases. Out of the total cases, 397 are still recovering, while 2,061 already recovered, and 75 died.
Of the breakdown, Davao City still has the most number of Covid-19 cases in the region with 1,615. Of this number, 232 are still recovering, 1,322 already recovered, and 61 died.
The hiring of additional contact tracers came following the signing of the “Bayanihan to Recover as One Act” or Bayanihan 2 Law.
Roldan said this will ramp up the country’s contact tracing program.
"These will be additional forces of our LGU (local government units) in the contact tracing of those infected by Covid-19," Roldan told SunStar Davao in a phone interview.
To qualify, he said the applicant must have a Bachelor’s degree or college level in an allied medical course or criminology course. Aspirants must also be skilled in data gathering and have assisted in research and documentation; able to interview Covid-19 cases and close contacts for data gathering; possess the ability to advocate public health education messages, and have the investigative capability.
"Even if dili ka medical or criminology graduate, pero naa kay alamag sa contact tracing, qualified gihapon ka (Even if you are not a medical or criminology graduate, but have knowledge in contact tracing, you are still qualified)," he said.
Applicants are required to submit a letter of intent, Personal Data Sheet, National Bureau of Investigation Clearance, and drug test results.
Roldan said they should submit their application and documents to any DILG Provincial and City Field Offices nationwide or visit their websites for the posting of vacancies.
He said contractual personnel whose employment was not renewed, overseas Filipino workers whose employment were disrupted, and local employees whose service has been recently terminated may be given priority in the hiring process if qualified.