MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Health (DOH) is recruiting 1,000 midwives who will be deployed to poor communities across the country.
Health Secretary Enrique Ona said the midwives will serve in communities “where maternal and child morbidity and mortality rates are high.”
The department’s Rural Health Midwives (RHM) program complements the Registered Nurses for Health Enhancement and Local Services (RN Heals) program wherein 10,000 nurses were hired last February to serve in far-flung areas.
The RN Heals II program was launched to increase nurses in DOH-run hospitals and health facilities nationwide. The government will recruit about 11,500 nurses.
“The deployment of nurses and midwives is part of the department’s commitment to address inequities in access to health services which particularly affects the poor. We recognize the importance of the availability of competent health workers in our hospitals and communities in improving the quality of health services for our countrymen,” Ona said.
The DOH came up with the program primarily to “augment the inadequate nursing workforce” in healthcare facilities, despite the more than 300,000 registered nurses who are still unemployed or underemployed.
Under the two programs, nurses and midwives will undergo “learning and development (training) in clinical and public health” facilities for one year.
Nurses will get a monthly allowance of P8,000 while midwives will receive P6,000.
Ona said the government would provide insurance coverage with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and group accident insurance with the Government Service Insurance System.
DOH hospitals will also provide meals for the nurses during their tour of duty.
The nurses and midwives who will be assigned in barangay health centers will receive additional assistance in the form of lodging, meals, and others from local government units.
Ona said those who complete the program will be considered for “priority employment in government health facilities should vacancies exist.”