A total of 1,993 medical and health professionals from the CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) joined the Department of Health’s Human Resource for Health (DOH-HRH) Deployment Project to boost delivery of health services in the region.
The new DOH government personnel took their oath of office before Health Sec. Francisco Duque III and Calabarzon Regional Director Eduardo Janairo in a simple ceremony at the Alonte Sports Arena in Binan City, Laguna.
Duque cited the urgency to build a stronger health workforce to implement public health and clinical services in our rural health units.
“We need to strengthen primary health care and we need to do this together to ensure the success of the Universal Health Program,” he said.
“No primary health care which is very important in our health system if you are not here,” Duque newly-hired health professionals.
He said that the DOH-HRH program targets to employ a total of 26,389 health professionals to be deployed in the provinces nationwide.
“We have already started in the deployment of the necessary manpower in deprived areas to provide immediate health care services and will continue to do so gradually to achieve our goal of universal health care,” Duque added.
Janairo said the newly-hired health workers will be assigned in the region’s various local government units to odress the lack of health personnel and complement the existing health personnel in health facilities, especially in marginalized and underserved areas and in communities identified as geographically isolated areas (GIDAs).
He said that 1,993 HRH will be assigned in the provinces of Cavite (324), Laguna (403), Batangas (410), Rizal (360) and Quezon (496)
“They will ensure access to essential quality health services at appropriate level of care. These new health workers will serve under Contract of Service (COS) from June to December,” he said.
He added that the new hires will enjoy full benefits similar what a permanent employee receives.
At the same time, he asked them to serve with dedication and compassion.
The new appointees are composed of doctors, nurses, midwives, medical technologists, dentists, pharmacists, nutritionist-Dietitians, Physical Therapists, UHC Implementers and Public Health Associates who will provide support in the implementation of health services for the attainment of Universal Health Care (UHC) in various communities of the region.
According to Janairo, the deployment of health personnel to priority LGUs and marginalized areas of the country started in 2009 known as the NARS (Nurses Assigned in Rural Service) Project as the government’s response to augment in adequacy in health personnel in the field and to enhance their competencies in health service delivery.
It was replaced by RNHEALS (Registered Nurses Health Enhancement and Local Service) and RHMMPP (Rural Health Midwives Placement Program) in 2010-2013. It evolved as the present HRH Deployment Program to include more allied personnel in the fold to further strengthen health services in the communities.