Tayag admits shortage of rural doctors

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines  â€“ He has taken to dancing to promote the various programs of the Department of Health (DOH), among them the campaign against firecrackers, dengue and obesity.

But Health Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag said he could not dance away the lack of doctors, nurses and other medical personnel in government hospitals in the provinces.

To the tune of Gangnam Style, Tayag danced again during the launch of the vaccination program dubbed “DOHbol Time Laban sa Pneumonia” here yesterday.

Butuan City was chosen by the DOH and the World Health Organization as the venue for the launching of the country’s first vaccination program against pneumonia for infants.

When asked by Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand Amante during a press conference if he could help solve the lack of doctors and other medical personnel at the Butuan Medical Center (BMC) here, Tayag replied: “This kind of problem is so heavy I can’t dance.”

Amante noted that BMC was designed as a 50- to 70-bed hospital but due to the influx of patients, including from middle class families, they are accommodating 200 patients or more.

“We are having problems because most doctors at BMC are only visiting doctors or in private practice,” he said.

“I hope you and (Health) Secretary (Enrique) Ona can help us by providing BMC medical doctors,” Amante told Tayag.