PHAPI: 5 to 10% of nurses in private hospitals resigned in last two to three weeks

An estimated 5% to 10% of nurses in private hospitals in the country have left their jobs in the past two to three weeks, the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines said Thursday.

According to Saleema Refran's report on "24 Oras", PHAPI president Jose Rene de Grano said private hospitals could not expand their COVID-19 capacity because they lacked medical workers to look after their patients.

"Hindi tayo makapag-expand ng ating mga COVID beds kasi limited ang ating mga healthcare workers, especially nurses," De Grano said.

"Kung sabihin mong umalis 'yung kalahati ng workforce natin, parang binabawasan mo na rin ng kalahati ang bed capacity ng mga hospital," he added.

[We can't expand our COVID-19 beds because we have limited health workers, especially nurses. If half of our workforce are leaving, half of the bed capacity will also be unused.]

According to the report, nurses resign from private hospitals to look for greener pastures in other countries.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration had said Saudi Arabia is hiring around 600 nurses to augment its healthcare system amid the health crisis.

Meanwhile, Department of Labor and Employment also signed a memorandum of agreement to allow Britain to hire healthcare professionals, including nurses, from the Philippines.

Britain will be needing around 50,000 nurses until 2024, Philippine Labor Attache in London said.

Despite the impact of nurses' resignation in private hospitals, Malacañang downplayed the matter, adding that there are board passers and nursing graduates who will replace those moving to abroad. -NB, GMA News