DOH seeks health worker volunteers for COVID-19 hospitals

The Department of Health (DOH) is seeking volunteer health workers, including doctors, nurses, nurse assistants, and orderlies, to work in designated COVID-19 referral hospitals.

As of March 28, 593 health workers have volunteered.

Volunteers will render eight hours of daily work for 14 consecutive days and will receive P500 daily compensation, which also covers a mandatory two-week on-site quarantine period after their duty.

Free food and accommodation will be provided, and personal protective equipment will be given to volunteers who will have direct contact with infected patients.

Volunteers are also entitled to a P100,000 compensation if they contract severe COVID-19 on duty, and a P1 million death benefit should they succumb to the disease.

Online reactions to the DOH's call for volunteers included criticism and calls to stop exploiting health workers, with some users expressing concerns about the offered compensation and the nature of the work.