Senator Idol Raffy Tulfo advocated that the government offer full scholarships to talented students who want to become nurses as a solution to the issue of the huge exodus of Filipino nurses.
During the Senate Committee on Health and Demography joint with Ways and Means; and Finance last Oct. 11, Tulfo suggested that chosen scholars be required to serve in government hospitals for at least four to five years after graduation to ensure enough number of nurses in every hospital in the country
Tulfo made this observation while pointing out that while the optimal nurse to patient ratio is 1:4, the ratio in the Philippines is now estimated to be 1:20, which impairs nursing care and wears out nurses.
Both aspiring nurses—particularly those from low-income households who require financial aid for their education—and government hospitals that are short on medical personnel will benefit from the initiative.
Additionally, the senator from Isabela and Davao urged DOH to address the prejudice that Filipino nurses encounter at work, including the selective awarding of benefits like hazard pay.
Tulfo claimed to have discovered that the only nurses qualified for hazard pay were those who worked in COVID-19 wards or were exposed to COVID-19 patients.
We should be fair. It’s important to use common sense when attending to their requirements, he said. “We should be sensitive to the demands of the aforementioned nurses. Kailangan natin silang alagaan at tratuhin nang maayos.
He emphasized that from the time they leave for work till they arrive at the hospitals to care for their patients for hours on end, all nurses are at risk of contracting the virus.
Most Filipino nurses are migrating to other countries in search of better lives due to weariness, prejudice, and lower earnings.
Tulfo declared that he will investigate the situation more thoroughly in order to determine what legislation should be filed in order to better the situation of Filipino nurses and the services provided by government hospitals.
In a related matter, Tulfo requested that DOH provide records with a list of those who were held accountable and are being prosecuted for the improper distribution of medications that are let to expire and go unadministered in the area in the previous years.
It should be highlighted that between 2013 and 2021, almost P2 billion worth of drugs that were either outdated or on the verge of expiring were thrown out, despite the fact that they were intended for use by the poor, including, among others, cancer patients and senior citizens.
“I really need to see that record that mayroon pong nakasuhan dahil sa kapabayaan sa trabaho nagresulta sa pagkasayang ng bilyun-bilyong halaga ng gamot, because po, kailangang malaman ng taumbayan na seryoso po tayo sa ating mga trabaho.”
“Kasi kung hanggang press release lang po tayo na mayroong kinasuhan and later on malaman ng taumbayan na balewala din ang kaso na isinampa ng gobyerno, ay parang niloloko lang natin ang mga sarili natin,” he remarked.
Tulfo stressed that the department had agreed to give him the information, but he is still waiting for them to confirm that the expired medications had been replaced or reimbursed.