The Department of Health (DOH) is redeploying a total of 136 doctors and nurses from other regions in the country to seven DOH hospitals, two specialty hospitals and one regional hospital in Metro Manila to augment the need for more healthcare workers (HCWs) in the National Capital Region (NCR).
The redeployed HCWs will be assigned in NCR to provide additional support for COVID-19 response.
The first batch of about 42 doctors and nurses from Regions I, IV-A and V were assigned to East Avenue Medical Center and Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City, Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Caloocan City, and Amang Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Marikina City.
An additional 94 HCWs from Regions VII, VIII, IX, X, XI and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will be redeployed to six other hospitals starting this week.
These hospitals include the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Lung Center of the Philippines and the off-site extension of Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center at the Quezon Institute in Quezon City, San Lazaro Hospital and Tondo Medical Center in the City of Manila, and Rizal Medical Center in Pasig City.
All redeployed HCWs are entitled to Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing prior, during and post deployment, per diem, work transportation expenses, accommodation and meals, among others, on top of their salaries and other emoluments from their mother offices.
The DOH and the Metro Manila Center for Health Development (MM-CHD) express their sincerest gratitude and appreciation to the hospitals, regional CHDs, and especially to healthcare workers for heeding the call to join the NCR frontline and supporting its response.
DOH also commits to supporting hospitals and other health facilities in the fight against COVID through continuous provision of personal protective equipment and augmentation of human resources for health through redeployment and hiring to ensure that there are adequate HCWs that can provide quality health services to COVID-19 and other patients in need of medical care.
Likewise, the DOH calls on the public to utilize the LGU hotlines and the telemedicine services for initial consults and non-emergency cases to help decongest hospitals.