Gov't ready with measures to avert shortage of health workers –Roque

The government has prepared measures to prevent a possible shortage of health workers, after the Department of Health expressed alarm over the rise in the number of medical frontliners contracting COVID-19.

“Meron na rin tayong mga hakbang na ginagawa. Unang una, ‘yung mga medical graduates maski ‘di pa pasado ng board ay ginagawan ng paraan para sila ay makatulong na rito,” Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said during the Laging Handa public briefing.

“Sabi nga ng Presidente, noong huling pagpupulong sa ilang piling miyembro ng Gabinete, pati ‘yung mga under board at fourth year students ay kinakailangan handa na in case mangailangan ng additional health workers,” Roque said.

DOH spokesperson Health Undersecretary Mario Rosario Vergeire had said the country might suffer a shortage of health workers if the trend would continue. 

As of Thursday, a total of 1,694 health care workers tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This number is almost 20 percent of the country's confirmed cases which stood at 8,488 on April 30.

The country's confirmed case reached 8,772 on Friday.

According to the DOH, 566 of the infected health workers are physicians or doctors, 638 are nurses, 104 are nursing assistants, 66 are medical technologists, 32 are radiologic technologists, 18 are respiratory therapists, 19 are midwives, 14 are pharmacists, and 237 others.

Roque emphasized the importance of the implementation of strict safety protocols for health workers to prevent them from getting infected with COVID-19. —Ted Cordero/LBG, GMA News