(Eagle News)–The Department of Health has condemned the attacks on health workers who serve as frontliners amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
The DOH made the statement following reports some health workers were being attacked physically, including being thrown bleach and splashed with chlorine.
The DOH said there are also reports of healthcare workers being refused basic services such as public transport and laundry, blocked and fined at checkpoints and evicted from their homes.
“These acts cannot be tolerated. We are mobilizing our own personnel on efforts to ascertain more details and hold perpetrators of these attacks liable and reporting these incidents to the Inter-agency Task Force on COVID-19 for proper investigation and resolution,” the DOH said.
According to the DOH, as medical professionals, healthcare workers take extra precautions to ensure infection prevention and control.
Patients under monitoring and under probe are also following protocol by isolating themselves from their loved ones.
“We appeal to the public to extend understanding and compassion to our healthcare worker. Our healthcare workers have responded to our country’s needs with dedication, courage and selflessness. This is not the time to turn our backs on them. It is not enough that we thank them. We need to protect them too,” the DOH said.