“Give more protection and support our doctors who elect to serve in the underserved and remote or geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA) in the country.”

This was the appeal of Dr. Charlotte M. Chiong, dean of the UP College of Medicine (UPCM) University of the Philippines Manila following a meeting with the Human Resources for Health (HRH) Network Philippines on March 22, 2024.

She said the government could tap the Department of National Defense and the military to help protect health workers deployed in GIDA and to improve access to healthcare services. When healthworkers are supported and secure in their environment, they are more inclined to offer their services in underserved regions of the country. This ignites their dedication to fulfill their duty in addressing healthcare disparities.

In the meeting, it was revealed that over 195,000 healthcare workers  are needed for the full implementation of universal healthcare (UHC) as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to fulfill the ideal ratio of 44.5 HRH per 10,000 population.

“Maybe the gap that’s being reported is not that big if we consider the limitations of the data of the registry,” Dr. Chiong said in an interview. 

‘There has to be a differentiation between those who practice in the clinics and health facilities and other healthcare graduates who are basically found in other industries that still remain part of the health care delivery,” she added.

In quantifying Human Resources for Health (HRH) in the country, Dean Chiong emphasized that it should not solely focus on individuals holding professional licenses. She suggested the inclusion of doctors and nurses working in occupational medicine industries to capture the actual number of HRH. The UPCM official said the government could devise strategies to integrate those who are not yet licensed to work in the healthcare sector, allowing them to engage in health promotion activities while awaiting licensure exam results.

The HRH Network Philippines is comprised of government agencies working to improve the health status of Filipinos. Its members include the Department of Health (DOH), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and others. Various government agencies, professional organizations, non-government labor organizations, and academic institutions including the University of the Philippines Manila (UP Manila) play a vital role in shaping HRH policies and programs.

During the meeting, representatives from member agencies and organizations addressed updates regarding the adoption and data sharing agreements for the national health worker registry. They also presented a comprehensive multi-sectoral HRH research agenda and engaged in discussions on various HRH-related issues.

Meanwhile, CHED commissioned UPCM to help improve medical education in the country through a roadmap for medical education called SMART (Strategic Medicine Accelerated Roadmap for Tomorrow). 

SMART is a five-year plan that aims to transform and reorient the medical education program to align with the vision of providing all Filipinos access to quality health services. Anchored on the principles of social accountability and Primary Health Care, the roadmap focuses on producing competent, compassionate physicians rooted in community-oriented medicine. 

Text by: Charmaine A. Lingdas