OF the many people who have died in the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic, we must pay our highest tribute to the doctors, nurses, medtechs, and other health workers who got infected in the course of their helping the thousands of our people in the nation’s hospitals.
At least nine doctors have died from the virus, the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) said last Thursday. Among the deaths were those of Dr. Raul Jara, former president of the Philippine Heart Association; Dr. Sally Gatchalian, head of the Philippine Pediatric Society; Dr. Henry Fernandez of Bayambang, Pangasinan; Dr. Israel Bactol, cardiologist at the Philippine Heart Center; Dr. Greg Macasaet III, anesthesiologist at the Manila Doctors Hospital; Dr. Rose Pulido, oncologist at the San Juan de Dios Hospital; Dr. Marcelo Jaochico of the Pampanga Provincial Health Center; Dr. Raquel Seva, ob–gyne, in Laguna; and Dr. Hector Alvarez, of the Novaliches District Hospital.
We are now in the middle of a pandemic that is claiming victims around the world and our COVID-19 cases have already exceeded the facilities available in our hospitals. Congress has just passed a bill realigning some P275 billion for the use in the effort against the virus. A great part of the fund must go into the frontline battle that is now taking place in the nation’s hospitals.
In an address to the nation last Wednesday, President Duterte paid special tribute to the health workers as well as to the policemen, soldiers, and other government workers enforcing the quarantine in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon. He also cited those in government and the private sector who are now providing food to many poor families who can no longer go to work in the lockdown.
But his sincerest gratitude, the President said, goes to the doctors, nurses, and other medical workers, for in the war against the coronavirus, they are at the very front of the battle.
Consider this thought: Everyone is urged to stay home lest they encounter an infected person in crowded buses or rail coaches, or in malls and offices. In contrast, our doctors, nurses, and other health workers must come face to face with those infected with the virus. While everybody else shuns contact with victims, our health workers reach out to them to help them get well.
“I am saddened by the news that the virus has claimed the lives of our doctors along the way,” the President said. “Lahat po sila ay bayani.”
When this war against COVID-19 is over and we begin the work of rehabilitating our country and our people, we should pay these frontliners who died in line of duty a special tribute, perhaps a public memorial plaque listing the names of all those who gave their lives in the battle.
We have such memorials honoring the men and women who were killed in wars for our nation’s freedom and honor. Our doctors, nurses, and other medical workers who have fallen in the ongoing battle against the virus are no less heroes, for having given up their own lives in the war against the deadly COVID-19.
