‘Proposed nursing council needed to address pressing concerns’

MANILA, Philippines — The proposal of Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa to create a National Nursing Advisory Council (NNAC) will be a welcome development for the health care industry, which is reeling from persistent problems of shortage as Filipino nurses usually opt to go overseas, according to a lawmaker.

“We support the creation of such a council, so long as we ensure that all stakeholders are fairly and adequately represented,” Rizal 4th District Rep. Fidel Nograles said over the weekend.

Nograles, who chairs the House of Representatives’ labor and employment committee, made the remarks following Herbosa’s NNAC plan, which came on the heels of an earlier pronouncement of plans to employ unlicensed nursing graduates to meet the need for nurses in government hospitals.

At the same time, Nograles nonetheless suggested that the Department of Health (DOH) first conduct a dialogue among stakeholders before implementing such policies so that all issues confronting the sector will be fully addressed.

“We should have a dialogue first, then craft a workable strategy to address the shortage, with the view toward implementing a long-term solution instead of temporary measures,” he said.

The lawmaker hailed Herbosa’s announcement, saying the health chief showed “humility” with the recent move.

“Secretary Herbosa is showing us that he is willing to listen to the stakeholders of his sector,” Nograles said.

“I hope that the creation of the NNAC will pave the way toward finally resolving the various issues that hound the nursing sector. Ultimately, this should be about achieving the perfect harmony between workers’ welfare and the interest of public health,” he added.

The senior administration legislator underscored the need for dialogue among parties.

He made the suggestion after Herbosa broached the possibility of tapping unlicensed nurses to fill vacancies in public health institutions.

The Professional Regulation Commission clarified that under the law, nursing graduates who failed the board exam cannot be granted temporary or special licenses and work in government hospitals.

Nograles said the furor over the issue could have been minimized had there been “a meaningful consultation with stakeholders.”

“We have to discuss issues like nurse-to-patient ratio, working hours, salary and many others,” he said.

Agencies including the DOH, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Budget and Management, and local government units, along with other stakeholders of the health sector, should immediately conduct a formal dialogue on how to address the issue.

“What is stopping us from hiring more nurses? Let’s identify these barriers and closely collaborate to find a solution that we can implement,” Nograles said.