30 more nurses sent to NCR for coronavirus response

CEBU, Philippines —  Thirty more nurses from Central Visayas were deployed yesterday to the National Capital Region (NCR) to help in the COVID-19 efforts in the capital, which is battling a surge in coronavirus infections.

They were the second batch of medical nurses who volunteered to be sent to NCR for a coronavirus response. They are from the DOH-7 nurse deployment program and the temporary treatment and monitoring facilities (TTFMs).

Of the 30 nurses, 20 were deployed to the National Center for Mental Health in Mandaluyong City, while the rest were sent to Las Piñas General Hospital and Trauma Center.

Princess Diane Antolihao and Ana Nicole Delacruz were among the deployed nurses. They said they volunteered to serve their countrymen who are in dire need of help.

Antolihao, a nurse from Compostela, Cebu, had been deployed to Bacolod City as a volunteer so she volunteered anew for the NCR Covid response.

“Sa una, I find it overwhelming nga maka help sa isig ka tawo nato. That’s the reason why ni volunteer ko karon (Based on my previous experiences, I find it overwhelming to be able to help our fellowmen. That’s the reason why I volunteered again),” she said.

For her part, Delacruz, an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) from Bohol, said it was the perfect time to serve her countrymen after working abroad for three years.

“I’m an OFW for three years. And karon nakauli ko ni-decide ko nga movolunteer as COVID nurse para makaserve sa atong country (And now that I was able to return home, I decided to volunteer as a Covid nurse so I could serve our country),” she said.

Send-off

Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino led the ceremonial send-off of the 30 nurses.

Dino commended them “for coming forward and volunteering to help our brothers and sisters up in the north and such a truly selfless and heroic gesture when our country and our people need you.”

“True to our promise of sending at least 100 medical frontliners from the Visayas to augment the health care capacity of NCR+ hospitals, today (yesterday) we are sending-off yet again 30 nurses,” said Dino in a statement

To recall, DOH-7 sent the first batch of 50 medical workers—35 nurses, 11 doctors, and four medical technologists—to NCR+ last April 8, 2021.

Like the first batch, Dino said the volunteers will be supported financially.

 “That’s going to be a total of P25,000 monthly on top of the salary you will be getting from this three-month-long patriotic duty,” he told the nurses.

On the other hand, DOH-8 assigned additional 15 doctors and nurses to beef up the medical frontliners in NCR+.

Dino said it was decided that the Visayas should render assistance to the now overwhelmed healthcare system in NCR+, following the request of Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, chairman of the Senate Health Committee.

He added that it was high time for the Visayas and Cebu to extend a helping hand to NCR. — KQD (FREEMAN)