DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, August 18 (PIA) -- The Provincial Government of Negros Oriental plans to widen the scope of its medical scholarship program to entice more young people into the medical profession. 

Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Ronnel Depalubos announced this in a press conference at the Provincial Capitol on August 17.

Depalubos said Governor Pryde Henry Teves aims to expand the coverage of the scholarship program to include other allied medical courses such as nursing, medical technology, midwifery, physical therapy, among others. 

The provincial government currently offers scholarships for those who would like to study medicine at Silliman University. 

Depalubos said this program has been institutionalized through an ordinance which also requires the scholars to render two years of service for every year they are studying medicine as a scholar of the provincial government. 

The provincial legal officer said the governor also wants to introduce some amendments to the said legislation. 

“Silbi sa four years (nila pag-eskwela), eight years sila mo-serve. Pero gusto na usbon ni Governor Teves kay ang iyang ganahan apil na ang specialization (In the four years they spent in school as a scholar, they have to render eight years of service. Governor Teves wants to change that because he wants to include their specialization course),” he said. 

Depalubos pointed out that ff a scholar graduates from medical school by the age of 25, he or she will be able to take a specialization by the time he or she reaches 33 years old due to the said clause.

He noted that it is somehow late to study specialization at that age. 

“Gusto ni Governor Teves na idugang gud diretso sa specialization kay luoy pod kaayo ang atong mga doktor na general physician na dili sila maka-specialize kay i-assign pa gud sila bukid kaayo. Sila ma jud ibutang sa community hospital. Unsaon man nila pag-specialization? (Gov. Teves wants them to take the specialization course right away because it would be hard for our doctors who are general physicians to study specialization courses when they are assigned in the hinterland community hospitals),” he added. 

If the amendments will be applied, Depalubos said doctors taking specialization courses will also be given allowance while studying for three years and their community service will be limited to five years. 

The provincial government plans to talk with Ace Dumaguete Doctors Hospital for a residency training program for different specializations aside from Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital. 

Lack of healthcare workers 

This initiative is also seen to address the problem on the lack of healthcare workers in the province.

The current provincial administration is also pushing for the regularization of healthcare workers in hospitals supervised by the provincial government. 

Depalubos said they already requested the said hospitals to submit an inventory of plantilla positions to complement their manpower based on the staffing pattern standards of the Department of Health and PhilHealth. 

Once they receive their proposals, the Office of the Governor will forward it to the Sangguniang Panglalawigan (SP) for approval and funding. 

Salary increase for nurses

Depalubos disclosed that the salary of Nurse I employees has been increased to P33,000 as required by law. 

Salaries of nurses hired under Contract of Service have also increased to P25,000. 

Depalubos said the provincial government is continuously addressing gaps within the healthcare system to provide quality services to NegOrenses. (RAL/PIA7 Negros Oriental)