DOH urged to shut down hospitals found exploiting nurses

MANILA, Philippines - Senator Pia Cayetano on Tuesday called for the shutting down of government and public hospitals engaged in the alleged exploitation of new nurses. This was after the Philippine Nursing Association (PNA) exposed the practice of several hospitals of hiring only interns instead of permanent nurses and asking them to pay P3,000 to P3,500 for their internship fee. "Not only is it demeaning to these exploited nurses and students, but to the entire nursing profession in the country,” Cayetano said. In her report in GMA’s 24 Oras, Sandra Aguinaldo said that instead of employing permanent nurses, some hospitals would rather take in interns or volunteers who work for free. PNA said this act exploits the nurses since they are denied from receiving proper wages. “Hindi nila fini-fill up-an ‘yung vacant position. Tapos, they will take advantage of these on the job training nurses. Sila ‘yung ginagamit nila. Hindi nila binabayaran at sila pa ang nagbabayad sa kanila. Ngayon, nae-exploit sila,” PNA president Lea Paquiz said. Cayetano, chair of the Senate committee on health and demography, urged the victims of the “shameful” practice to come out in the open and identify their “exploiters.” "I urge those who have been victimized by this reported nursing employment racket to speak out and turn the tables against their exploiters." She also urged the Department of Health (DOH) to cancel the license to operate of all medical facilities that are found to be involved in this “new employment racket.” Cayetano also said the DOH should coordinate with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and set up a system to prevent these hospitals from exploiting the nursing graduates and the trainees. Health Secretary Francisco Duque II, for his part, denied that such practice is being observed in government hospitals. Interviewed by Aguinaldo, Duque said it is normal for some specialty hospitals to ask for standard fees from those nurses who would like to undergo a special training course. “I find it a reckless statement and conclusion coming from the PNA. Kagaya ng mga specialty hospital natin, kung sumisingil sila, dahil they have to create that specialized nursing training course. At syempre may pondo kang kinakailangan para matustusan mo itong mga programang ito (Specialty hospitals ask for fee because they have to have budget for their specialized training course),” Duque said. The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAP), meanwhile, is open to conducting an investigation on PNA’s allegation. “Kung talagang totoo eh di i-imbestigahan (If there is truth in that report then we will investigate) and we will do the necessary sanctions,” said Dr Rustico Jimenez, PHAP said. Jimenez however admitted that they have yet to receive complaints regarding the fees being asked by hospitals from interns. - with D'Jay Lazaro, GMANews.TV