Press Release
June 30, 2020

Statement of Senator Risa Hontiveros on doctors to the barrios being pulled out and redeployed to private hospitals in Cebu

Naiintindihan ko na ngayong panahon ng pandemya ay nangangailangan ng mas maraming doktor, pero salungat sa Doctors to the Barrios o DTTB program ang kanilang redeployment sa mga pribadong ospital sa Cebu.

The DTTB's main objective is to provide quality and primary healthcare to marginalized, unserved and hard-to-reach communities in poor municipalities. I commend doctors who, under normal times, already answer the call to serve these remote communities. I have no doubt that they are ready to answer a call of duty at any time.

Ngunit nananawagan ako sa Department of Health na huwag tanggalan ng katuwang ang mga mahihirap na komunidad. Huwag natin tanggalan ang mga Pilipino ng mga doktor na nagsisilbing pananggalang nila laban sa COVID-19 at sa iba pang mga sakit.

The DOH should, instead, heed our previous call of hiring more healthcare workers and doctors. Bakit kailangan ng re-deployment sa pribadong hospital kung kaya namang mag-emergency hiring at kumuha ng consultant para sa short-term services? DOH should ramp up emergency hiring of health professionals to augment Human Resources for health for deployment in hospital and community health setting.

Hangga't maaari, huwag na natin ilagay sa alanganin ang kalusugan ng mga nasa malalayong komunidad. We should improve access to healthcare in our far-flung areas and communities and not further limit it.

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