By Fernan Angeles
HEALTH workers from a hospital in Manila criticized the Department of Health (DOH) for alleged lack of concern for health workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic as another fellow medical front liner succumbed to the deadly virus strain.
“Noong una pa lang, ramdam na ramdam na natin na wala talaga silang malasakit sa mga healthcare worker,” said Cristy Donguines, president of Alliance of Health Workers’ (AHW) chapter at Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRRMMC).
AHW members staged a protest on Monday in front of JRRMC to air their grievances to the hospital administration as well as to the DOH.
Donguines questioned the DOH’s pronouncement that there is enough supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers dealing with COVID-19 patients.
“Ang sinasabi lang ng DOH, ‘sapat, sapat.’ Nasaan ‘yung sapat? Kung hindi po dahil sa mga NGO (non-government organizations) na nagmamalasakit sa atin, hindi po tayo magkakaroon ng sinasabi nilang sapat,” she said.
More than the inadequate PPEs, Dongins also lamented on the sad plight of the medical front liners even as she claimed that each one of them are handling 20 to 30 COVID-19 cases.
“Talagang understaffing po tayo kasi talagang hindi lingid po sa kaalaman natin na talagang marami na pong empleyado natin ang naapektuhan po ng COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.
One of the nurses in the hospital, Judyn Bonn Suerte, died due to COVID-19, Donguines said.
Donguines also raised her concerns on the benefits and compensation of healthcare workers.
JRRMMC chief of medical professional staff Dr. Wenceslao Llauderes said they were also saddened by the loss of an employee due to COVID-19.