Qualified cops train with DOH as reserve medical personnel

THE PHILIPPINE  National Police Regional Office XI (PNP PRO XI) has allocated personnel who can serve as reserve medical staff for medical facilities in the event of a shortage of medical staff in the Davao region.   

The Regional Director of PNP PRO XI Police Brigadier General Filmore B. Escobal discussed the relevance of the allocation of manpower to the current campaign of the government to control the spread of COVID-19 in the region.

“Pag nagkaroon po tayo ng kakulangan ng health workers, andito po sila – reserves sila (If we happen to have a shortage in health workers, they will be here – they will be the reserves),” PNP PRO XI Regional Director Escobal stated.

The PNP PRO XI Regional Director discussed the process of vetting qualified personnel amongst their ranks who are registered nurses to augment the current efforts of medical front liners in the City of Davao.

“Tayo po ay nagsagawa ng imbentaryo kung sino sa mga police natin ay licensed nurses – tayo po ay nakapag identify ng 187 nurses pero pinili po namin yung mga nurses na walang issue sa kanilang kalusugan or obligasyon sa kanilang duty o sa pamilya kaya meron po tayong 37 na nurses out of the 187 (We conducted an inventory of personnel to see which police officers are licensed nurses – we have identified 187 potential nurses but the vetting process requires each nurse to have no pre-existing health issues, duty or family obligations and that is why we have selected 37 nurses out of the 187),” PBG Escobal stated.

The Department of Health Davao Center for Health Development (DOH DCHD) is currently training the 37 qualified police staff in preparation for service in the field if necessary. In light of the recent lockdowns, the Regional Director Escobal received information that there are already two police officers who were deployed.

“Ngayong araw po meron na po dalawa na tinawag na mag render po ng duty – para mag man po ng PUI centers (Today we had two who were called to render their time in duty to man PUI centers),” PBG Escobal added. (By Kevin Caro)