Dapat taasan ang sweldo at gawing regular sa trabaho ang mga barangay health worker dahil sa serbisyo at kontribusyon nila sa gitna ng pandemya, ayon kay Senador Alan Peter Cayetano

“The program will prioritize assistance to LGUs (local government units) that do not have or have little capacity to give regular and adequate salaries and allowances to its BHWs for the next 10 years, as determined by the DOH (Department of Health) and DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government,” pahayag niya tungkol sa Senate Bill (SB) No. 68 o ang Mahal Ko, Barangay Health Worker Ko Law. 

Dagdag pa ni Cayetano, ang pagtatakda ng sapat na bilang ng mga BHW sa mga barangay ay isang magandang paraan para palakasin ang healthcare system ng bansa.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, BHWs were notably at the forefront of response where they served as the bridgeway of communication between the health centers and constituents,” aniya,

Sinabi rin ng mambabatas na naging matulungin ang mga BHW sa pamamagitan ng door-to-door delivery ng medisina, vaccination drives, at paglahok sa contact tracing. 

Ipinakita ng pandemya ang kakulangan ng mga healthcare worker, pasilidad, at kagamitan sa bansa lalo na sa mga liblib na lugar. Upad tugunan ito, sinabi niya na kinakailangan alagaan ng gobyerno ang kapakanan ng mga BHW.

“The goal of improving the Primary Healthcare System necessarily carries with it the responsibility of taking care and supporting those in charge of implementing the same,” paliwanag ni Cayetano.

Sa ilalim ng panukala, magkakaroon ng koordinasyon ang Department of Health at ang Department of the Interior and Local Government para sa paglikha ng isang Special Barangay Health Workers Assistance Program na may layuning magbigay ng karagdagang tulong sa financial at technical assistance, training at iba pang tulong sa mga lokal na pamahalaan.

Ayon sa senador, ginagawa na ng lungsod ng Taguig ang ganitong pag-aalaga sa mga BHW at maaari rin itong gawin sa buong bansa.

“Aside from their regular salary, they receive bonuses and other benefits like training, overtime pay, and hazard pay. We have elevated their status to be formally employed under our LGU as Job Order and Casual Employees,” aniya.

“Such benefits should not be limited only in Taguig because all the Filipinos deserve the best social services. We should start properly compensating, assisting, and building up the skills of our health workers, because they are our backbone for the efficient delivery of our overall health system,” dagdag ni Cayetano.