Health workers walang libre at regular swab test

ITINANGGI ng Malacañang ang pahayag ng health workers na wala silang regular at libreng swab test kaya lomolobo ang bilang ng mga tinamaan ng coronavirus disease (COVID-19) sa kanilang hanay.

“Ang  expanded testing for all health workers, napakatagal na pong ibinibigay iyan mula pa po noong buwan ng April, kahit kailan po pupuwede silang makakuha ng libreng PCR test at dahil napakarami na po nating testing labs, mahigit 90 na, siguro ang ospital nila mayroon na rin testing lab. Kung wala po, I’m sure mayroon pong malapit na ospital na mayroon nang PCR testing lab na malapit sa kanila,” pahayag kahapon ni Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque hinggil sa panawagan ng Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) na free regular swab test sa lahat ng frontline hospital workers.

Ayon kay Cristy Donguines, R.N., President, Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center Employees Union-Alliance of Health Workers (JRRMMCEU-AHW), dapat managot ang Department of Health (DOH) at gobyernong Duterte sa kapabayaan at pagkabigo sa pagharap sa pandemya na nagresulta sa pagbubuwis ng buhay ng health workers.

“One of our problems is that; no free re-swabbing test after our quarantine. It should be one of the protocols to be implemented by the hospital to ensure that we are really fit to work. Worst, in order to make sure that we are really fit to work; we pay for our re-swabbing test outside of our hospital that costs; when in drive thru – P5,500, walk-in – 4, 300 and when you have PhilHealth it cost 1, 600,” ani Donguines sa isang kalatas.

Naglunsad ng “snake rally” kamakalawa ang health workers ng Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRRMMC) bilang pagkondena sa pagkamatay ng kanilang kasamang health worker na si Judyn Bonn Suerte, empleyado ng ospital at aktibong nanawagan para sa free mass testing, namatay dahil sa COVID-19 na anila’y bunsod ng kapabayaan ng hospital management, DOH, at administrasyong Duterte.

“One of his calls was; Free mandatory mass testing to all health workers now! Ayaw pa naming mamatay kaya PPE, ibigay! Distribute PPE now!”

“On July 31, our comrade died of the deadly virus. He is one of the most active health worker leader of Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center Employees Union-Alliance of Health Workers (JRRMMCEU-AHW). We believe that Bonn’s life would have been saved if it had been immediately treated by Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center and not brought to Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital where he died. It is painful to think but it is clear to us that this is a major negligence of the hospital management and the DOH itself due to their anti-health workers protocols”, ani Donguines.

Nababahala ang unyon sa lumalalang health at working conditions sa kanilang pagamutan na nagresulta sa 20 health workers na nagpositibo sa COVID-19. (ROSE NOVENARIO)