3,000 want to join DOH's emergency hiring program -official

Some 3,000 individuals have expressed their intention to be among the Department of Health’s frontliners in handling the COVID-19 pandemic, Health Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire said Wednesday.

“Marami ang may gusto [na ma-hire] at tinitignan po natin kung saan silang ospital of health facility kailangan. More than 3,000 na po ang nag-express ng intention na masali sa ating hiring,” Vergeire said.

Vergeire said the government's emergency hiring program remains on track even if the target is to hire a total of 15,000 health professionals to help in the COVID-19 response. She said 15,000 is an estimate given a worse-case scenario.

“Iyong 15,000 po ay estimate kapag nag surge ang cases, estimate ng kakailanganin ng mga ospital at iba’t ibang health facilities tulad ng laboratories, kasama na ang encoders,” she said.

Vergeire said at present, the DOH is receiving assistance from universities as far as additional manpower is concerned.

“Nahihirapan po tayo sa specific profession na mahirap hagilapin katulad ng mga doktor, at iyong mga molecular biologists. Kaya kailangan po natin makipag-usap sa mga universities at mga partners para pahiramin tayo habang wala pa tayong nakikita,” she added.

The Philippines has registered 12,942 COVID-19 cases so far. Of this number, 2,843 recovered while 837 died. --KBK, GMA News