THE Bicol Medical Center (BMC) has funds but doctors and nurses seem not attracted by its low payroll compared to hefty earnings they will get working abroad.




PEÑAFIEL

The BMC which is the largest government hospital in Bicol serving about a thousand patients everyday lacks 30 doctors and 40 nurses to regularly attend to patients.

Several patients already complained to the Bicol Mail that they were rarely visited by doctors and if ever they did they were not regular. Nurses attending the patients were trainees who were only earning experiences as requirements for working abroad.

Dr. Ruben R. Peñafiel, OIC director of BMC, said that the shortage of doctors and nurses is not due to absence of funds but to that of applicants who prefer to work in foreign countries for higher salaries and better benefits.

He revealed that other public hospitals are also suffering the same inadequacy including the Philippine General Hospital and even private ones.

It was learned that aside from inviting volunteer doctors and nurses, the BMC engaged hospital consultants to do regular duties.

Citing the pervasiveness of the incident, Peñafiel said that what used to be 12 doctors assigned in the Pediatrics Department is now down to 3, and from 12 at the Surgery Department to 4 regular doctors, with similar trends in other departments.

While requests for help had been sent to the Department of Health, the central office could not extend any for there are no applicants.

Daily at the BMC, there are up to 600 outpatients and 400 inpatients signing up for treatment and reaching to a yearly record of 27,000 patients.

The hospital has a current budget of P78 million for operating expenses so funds for doctors’ and nurses’ salaries is not a problem.