The Philippines is facing a massive shortage of nurses to tackle the COVID-19 infections with the availability now only at 75,000 against the requirement of over 109,000.
As per official figures, 75,000 nurses are working in public and private Philippine hospitals but roughly 109,000 more are needed. The country is also facing a record rise in infections and the nursing shortfall has left the existing staff to work long hours for little pay and on short-term contracts.
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Maristela Abenojar, president of Filipino Nurses United, said that the situation was “ironic” in one of the world’s biggest exporters of healthcare workers.
An entry-level nurse in a public hospital can earn 33,575 pesos ($670) per month and most were on short-term contracts earning 22,000 pesos without benefits like hazard pay.
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Those in the private sector were making as little as 8,000 pesos.
Nearly 40 percent of private hospital nurses have resigned since the start of the pandemic while 5,000 nurses have been cleared to go abroad this year after a COVID-19 ban was replaced with a cap to ensure enough nurses were available in the Philippines. (AW)
