Almost four out of ten of Philippines' poorest towns have no doctors -DOH

Almost four out of ten of the country's poorest towns have no doctors, an official of the Department of Health told a Senate inquiry on Friday.

Health Undersecretary Roger Tong-An added that 36 municipalities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao also have no physicians.

"As of June 2020, 38.46% of 6th class municipalities are doctorless and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has 36 doctorless municipalities," Health Undersecretary Roger Tong-An said in a Senate hearing.

He said the salary disparities between different municipality classes have discouraged many doctors to work in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.

"A doctor hired by the LGU of a sixth class municipality is entitled to receive only 65% of what an equivalent doctor working for the national government receives," Tong-An said.

A sixth class municipality earns an average annual income of less than P1 million.

He revealed that 372 doctors to the barrios are currently deployed across the country and 53% of whom are staying in fourth to sixth class municipalities.

A doctor to the barrio earns P84,074 salary per month plus other benefits, according to Tong-An.

But he also acknowledged that there is more work to do to encourage more physicians to practice their profession in far-flung communities.

Quirino Governor Dakila Carlo Cua, president of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, said the local government units, especially in rural areas, are struggling to hire medical professionals because of budgetary constraints.

"Ang layo kasi ng mga sweldo. Sweldo ng national government hospitals or DOH hospitals, are much higher than the salaries that are prescribed under the local government," Cua said.

"Nahahatak nila 'yung mga doktor, nahahatak nila 'yung mga nurse. Hindi naman sa sinasabing huwag kayo magtaas pero siguro kung puwede ninyo kaming matulungan din dahil hindi natin kaya, hindi kaya ng LGUs makipagsabayan sa national government," he added.

Senator Francis Tolentino, chair of the Senate panel on local government, suggested that DOH could download funds to doctorless LGUs.

"That is one possible innovation po... kung mayroong puwedeng mekanismo na magkaroon ng subsidy ang DOH for the LGUs to maintain or augment the resources," Cua said in response.

Dr. Clemencia Dilag-Bondoc, national president of the Association of Municipal Health Officers in the Philippines, said the ideal monthly salary for rural doctors should range from P80,000 to P90,000 but a lot are still receiving P50,000 and below.

Discussed during the said hearing was a bill filed by Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla last year which seeks to give additional benefits to rural health doctors. -NB, GMA News