Nurse roaming in Makati streets rescued by Red Cross after being kicked out from boarding house

A COVID-19 positive nurse who was kicked out of her boarding house was rescued by the Philippine Red Cross, its officials said on Sunday.

Photo credit: headtopics.com

The nurse is a customer care representative under a health maintenance organization. When she tested positive for the virus she informed her landlady last Sunday. And sadly, she was then told to leave her room before the next day. Her land lady said that she leave before morning via text message.

The nurse said she informed her family in Batangas, but they said they could not come and get her because it was already late.

She left her boarding house at around 9 p.m. and looked for temporary shelter. She couldn't find a place to stay in Makita till she reached Pasay where she checked-in.

Her family also told her she should have negative test results before she could return home.

She then went to the health center of Barangay Olympia in Makati to seek help. When she was there, she was told that the barangay health center is closed and said that they couldn't help her. She was then given a contact number but it was a landline so she can't call it.

The nurse then was eventually referred to the Red Cross through a friend.

The nurse was found sitting on the gutter along Southville Makati corner JP Rizal, according to Zenaida Beltejar, consultant of Philippine Red Cross Welfare services. And said,

Nanlulumo ako nung nakita ko talaga. Nandun siya sa gutter nakaupo. Naiyak talaga ako nun - ang nurse na nag-COVID positive ganun ang treatment natin,

[I felt depressed to see her sitting by the gutter. I cried because that's how we are treating a nurse who contracted the virus.]

Imagine, nangyayari pala ito, ilang nurse dyan ang nasa kalye ngayon.

[I can't imagine that this is really happening, how many nurses are in the streets?]

Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the PRC, said he would report the incident to government officials and urge them to put in place policies currently lacking in local governments.

Gordon said that this is a story of discrimination and all of us should help one another. He said,

Mukhang mali ang polisiya ng gobyerno. Isang nurse na magagamit natin sa paglaban sa COVID, lumalabas, walang policy ang gobyerno. 'Di nate-train ang barangay para alam nila kung ano ang gagawin 'pag may ganyang kaso,

[It seems the government's policy is wrong. We have a nurse who can help us to fight COVID. It shows there's no government policy. Village officials aren't trained on how to handle situations like this or they don't know what to do in these cases.]

Gordon added that positive individuals shouldn't be left in the streets. That is why isolation wards are present and landladies should not kick out their tenants.

In June, the House of Representatives passed on final reading a measure prohibiting discrimination against COVID-19 patients and those suspected of carrying the disease, including frontliners. A similar measure was filed at the Senate.

House approves COVID-19 anti-discrimination bill on 3rd reading,

Hontiveros will also file a bill criminalizing discriminatory acts vs COVID-19 frontliners.

Local governments such as Manila and Pasay have passed similar ordinances.

The police must also assist COVID-19 frontliners following reports of attacks and discrimination.

As of August 3, there have been 5,153 health workers with COVID-19 in the Philippines. Of those, 422 are still in hospitals or under home quarantine.