Physicians' board examinees can still help in hospitals: PHAPI

MANILA -- Board examinees are still welcome to help in hospitals as long as they work under the supervision of licensed doctors, the president of Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines said Thursday.

"[Noon ginagawa na po namin 'yon], humihingi ng permiso sa DOH. Kapag kulang kami ng mga nurses, 'yong mga undergraduate pinapayagan pa naman po basta well-trained at under supervision ng lisensiyado," Dr. Rustico Jimenez told DZMM.

The Philippines still lacks at least 23,000 nurses even before the rise of the novel coronavirus, he said.

Jimenez said additional manpower to health workers will be a big help. "Dapat lahat tayo [nagtutulungan.] Eh, nagsasakripisyo nga tayong lahat," he said.

"Wala po tayong sariling sasakyan. 'Yong mga health workers namin, sinusundo pa namin sa isang lugar para makapagtrabaho lang. Binibigyan ko pa nga sila ng libreng pagkain para hindi na lumabas ng ospital. Tsaka 'yong iba po roon na nakatira sa ospital para 'di na umuwi."

The health department tallied a total of 636 cases of COVID-19 in the country including 38 fatalities and 26 recovered.

President Rodrigo Duterte has placed the country under a state of calamity during the Luzon-wide community quarantine in an effort to contain the virus.