Tapping unlicensed medical graduates and undergraduates in COVID-19 Crisis. Why not?
March 23, 2020, I made a TPOR on how medical students can help in the fight against COVID-19. I mentioned a possible option of helping man the triage area. Triage to screen out patients with a possible COVID-19 infection (PUI / PUM) is relatively easy after training for a day or two for the medical students.
https://sites.google.com/site/rojosontporsoncovid19/mu-relief---covid19-projects
March 24, 2020 came this news
No doubt, I was happy to hear this because one, it coincides to what I was proposing yesterday to utilize the medical students in manning triaging areas and second, I have that self-bragging "naunahan ko sila" feeling.
Section 12 of Republic Act No. 2382 or the Medical Act of 1959 stating that during pandemics or national emergencies, medical students can render services.
“Medical students who have completed the first four years of medical course, graduates of medicine, and registered nurses are allowed to render medical services upon authorization by the Secretary of Health without need of a certificate of registration."
With the increasing rise of COVID-19 cases throughout the Philippines, the health care system, the hospitals, and the physicians are already experiencing exhaustion and depletion. Physicians have died because of contact with COVID-19 patients. Physicians have to be quarantined once they are exposed to COVID-19 patients. With deaths and forced quarantine, the number of physicians manning a hospital will be depleted and they will be exhausted.
Thus, I think that unlicensed medical graduates and undergraduates can be tapped for the COVID-19 Crisis. As early as now, there must be training in how to triage potential COVID-19 patients and management of COVID-19 patients. The undergraduate medical students can concentrate on helping triaging patients and the medical graduates in the management of COVID-19 patients.
NOTE: I learned that medical students should stay home during the community quarantine in Luzon and not allowed to go near COVID triage area. This is one obstacle but which may be overcome once situation calls for its reversal.
ROJ@20mar25