SP sets P1.6M hospital workers' hazard pay

WHAT could stop health workers from leaving the country so they can revive the bleeding health services? The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) here appropriated a million and a half pesos for the partial implementation of the hazard pay for health workers, a step to put direct pressure to stop the bleeding. The move forms part of the local efforts to plug a depleted hospital staffing in 10 Provincial Government devolved hospitals, a phenomenon that has occurred in the last couple of years. Hailed by health workers as victory of advocacy and a breakthrough in legislation, the recent appropriation has brightened a bit the bleak future for hospital services here. Recently, health workers here have resigned their work for the brighter prospects of working abroad. Hurdling second reading, the measure by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan headed by Vice Governor Julius Caesar Herrera was approved last week. The appropriation of P1,632,423.46 was from the savings of the Provincial Health Office (PHO) and the 10 hospitals now devolved to the Provincial Government.

The amount, SP sources said could improve the buying power of health workers and aid, a little way their financial conditions. The hazard pay, Assistant PHO Greg Sodusta also said, is the last benefit that the province is giving out in compliance of the Magna Carta for Health workers. Sponsored by Health Committee Chair Board Member Concepcion Lim and co-sponsored by four other legislators, the appropriation came at a crucial time when health workers are into another round of preparations for an anti-dengue drive. To benefit from it are rank and file of the ten government hospital workers and the PHO employees, SP sources said.

Saddled with the apparent lack of operational funds to efficiently manage its devolved hospitals, the Provincial Government has seen even more complicated problems with the shortage of doctors and health workers. Such, is due to the low paycheck, especially that the magna carta (of health workers) is not fully implemented, workers shared. Dr. Sodusta said that they have been lobbying for the hazard pay in an effort to upgrade the take-home pay of local health workers and hopefully convince them to stay here. He said they have been attending SP Health Committee meetings and were accordingly assured to get what they have been lobbying for, but they were not told when it could take effect.

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