100 provincial health workers to be deployed in NCR

AROUND 100 health workers from provinces with low cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) will be deployed in Metro Manila and other regions, the Department of Health (DoH) said.

It said that the emergency hiring of 102 health workers fills half the need for medical personnel in Metro Manila, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), and Central Luzon.

“To help relieve the pressure off our healthcare workers in high-risk areas in NCR, Regions IV-A, and III, the drafting of a temporary substitution team from other provinces began immediately,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd said in a statement.

“To date, 74 healthcare workers from Luzon have signed up for the temporary substitution team along with 28 from Visayas and Mindanao,” he added.

Duque also said the national government allotted P442 million for the initiative.

Heeding the plea of medical group for a “timeout,” President Rodrigo Duterte placed the National Capital Region and other nearby areas under modified enhanced community quarantine for 14 days.