MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is facing a shortage of medical professionals who are crucial in helping deliver regular medical attention to its patients and clients in health care centers.

The DSWD, as the primary agency providing care for disadvantaged sectors of the society such as the elderly, orphans and women, is managing a total of 64 residential care facilities and 7 non-residential care units nationwide.

However, the department has a small number of health personnel, with roughly one health professional for every 100 clients.

As of the second quarter of 2016, a total of 10,878 individuals have been accepted and served by these facilities. But there are only 144 health professionals employed in the centers.

Data released by the DSWD show that their medical staffing is mostly composed of entry-level nurses. Posts for professionals who play a crucial role in the DSWD’s care services, such as psychologists and nutritionists, are also minimally filled.

DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo admitted that this condition is far from the “adequate” and “sufficient” delivery of basic services.

“This is a most sorry situation, which should be remedied. Many of the clients in the DSWD services are in need of regular medical attention or monitoring. In many of the centers, the personnel are unable to determine the exact nature of their physical, mental, and psychological health,” she said. 

Out of the total number of served clients, the DSWD said that only 40.88% have been rehabilitated and 43.16% have been discharged.

In the meantime, the DSWD is ensuring the continuous appropriation of its funds to enroll the clients under the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) so that they can receive better health protection. 

Underutilized funds

Maximizing allotted funds is also a problem of the centers, Taguiwalo said. 

The total 2016 budget allocation for the operations of the care facilities is over P200 million, but most centers have failed to utilize 50% of their budget by the second half of the year.

Out of the 71 centers, only 4 were able to go beyond the 50% target of funds use: Nayon ng Kabataan, 76.5%; Marillac Hills, 51.7%; Sanctuary Center, 57%; and Elsie Gaches Village, 52.1%.

“Different factors have contributed to the low utilization of the funds for the centers, and some of them could have been avoided. We want to assess the services of the centers and their capabilities to provide for the needs of their intended clients, and this will take time,” Taguiwalo said.

“What we are certain of, however, is that the need for the services of the centers are very high considering the steady if not increasing poverty levels in the country, not just in the NCR but all over,” she added. – Rappler.com