23/01/2023
[STATEMENT ON THE ISSUE OF FILIPINO NURSING STUDENTS BEING “PIRATED” BY EUROPEAN COUNTRIES]
“And then there will be none..."
Amidst the increasing number of migration of nurses and health professionals seeking greener pastures abroad, now comes the news that European countries such as the United Kingdom and Germany are offering “attractive scholarship packages” to second year Filipino nursing students to study abroad. The package includes continuation of their nursing schooling in these countries with provision on tuition and lodging. However, part of the contract defines that the nursing students will have to work in the host country after graduation. The recruitment of nursing students for the “scholarship package” started in 2022 in one nursing school in the country, and that one fourth of its nursing students have accepted the study offer.
While at first glance the scholarship package seems like a very good opportunity for Filipino nursing students to study and later work abroad, the Students and Youth for Free and Comprehensive Public Health Care System (SAY FREE) fears this grim scenario… will there still be nurses left to serve the country?
By its own admission, the Department of Health admitted that the country lacks 106,000 nurses to fill health facilities all over the country both in public and private. Health groups like the Filipino Nurses United (FNU) however lament that very low salary, poor working conditions, and the lack of care and protection forced Filipino nurses to work abroad. Nurses in private hospitals are paid the minimum wage or around P537 daily in Metro Manila or less about P12,000 monthly but those in the provinces get paid even less. According to FNU, nurses working for public hospitals receive entry Salary Grade 15 or about P35,097 monthly but not all public health nurses receive this mandated salary scale. Moreover, FNU said that around 50% of nurses in government institutions are contractual works and are not entitled to benefits.
The commercialized system of health science education in the country, including nursing education, is to blame for why it is easy for Filipino nursing students to be enticed with the European countries’ offer to study abroad. In private universities and colleges, a medical student needs about P70,000 to 85,000 per semester; a nursing student needs about P40,000 to P60,000 per semester. There is a serious lack of government support to provide budget for free health science courses such as medicine and nursing courses. There are very few state universities and colleges that offer health science courses.
The current exodus of nurses and now Filipino nursing students paint a grim scenario to the already ailing health care system in the country. Student and Youth for a FREE, Comprehensive Health Care System believes that the government must decisively do something to avert this by increasing salaries of nurses, increasing the health budget and providing Free education in Health Science courses and for this very urgent matter, a Free Nursing Education.
References:
Jaymalin, Mayen, Foreign Countries “Pirating” Filipino Nursing Students, https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/01/17/2238118/foreign-countries-pirating-filipino-nursing-students
Philippine Lacks 106,000 nurses, DOH says, https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/29/22/philippines-lacks-106000-nurses-doh-says
Valmonte Kaycee, No Shortage of Nurses, but low pay and lack of tenure driving them abroad, https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/06/21/2189974/no-shortage-nurses-low-pay-lack-tenure-driving-them-abroad
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