COVID-19 survivor urges co-health workers to stay in PH

Philippine General Hospital (PGH) spokesperson and COVID-19 survivor Dr. Jonas Del Rosario urged fellow medical health workers and doctors who are planning to go abroad to remain in the country to help fight the pandemic.

“Nananawagan nga kami dahil pandemya na sana medyo manaig sa kanila yung nasyunalismo dahil sa ngayon parang lumalaban tayo sa giyera,” Del Rosario said.

Del Rosario acknowledged and understand that health workers are planning to go abroad for better salaries to feed their families but he highlighted that they could work in PH instead.

“Iniisip din nila pamilya nila, sarili nila. Kailangang, kailangan po natin ng mga doktor. Sana po mag stay muna kayo kahit na at least kahit isang taon lang, we’re hoping matapos na ito. Pero sa ngayon po tingin ko ‘wag muna kayong umalis, kailangan kayo,” Del Rosario told TeleRadyo in an interview.

Del Rosario believed that fear contributed to the personnel shortage due to the high number of infected health workers. According to the Department of Health (DOH), there are more than 10,00o health workers infected with COVID-19, 500 of which are active cases.

As of Thursday, the Philippines logged 363,888 confirmed COVID-19 infections: 44,772 active cases, 312,333 recoveries, and 6,783 deaths.

Words by Khim Raices Khan Satuita

Layout by Kiziah Magbanua