The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday said the special allotment release order for the PHP311 million-worth of Special Risk Allowance (SRA) for health care workers had been downloaded to its Centers for Health Development (CHDs).

The fund will benefit an additional 20,208 healthcare workers.

In a news release, the DOH said the funds transferred to the CHDs would then be released to their respective local government units (LGUs) and private health facilities in the next few days.

The release is the first batch of fund transfers for the grant of SRA to hospitals and health facilities that have earlier submitted an additional list of eligible health care workers.

“Naibigay na po ng DBM ang paunang request na 311 million pesos para sa SRA ng 20,208 na healthcare workers. Huwag po kayong mag-alala at madadagdagan pa itong bilang ng mga healthcare workers na makakatanggap ng SRA sapagkat kasalukuyan tayong nakikipag-ugnayan sa iba’t ibang LGU at private hospitals sa pamamagitan ng ating mga CHD, upang makalap ang bilang ng health workers na marapat pang makatanggap ng SRA (The DBM has released the initial PHP311 million SRA for our health care workers. More health care workers are expected to receive their SRA as we continue to coordinate with the LGUs and private hospitals on the list of eligible health workers),” DOH Undersecretary of Health Leopoldo Vega said.

In a statement, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said the grant of the SRA would be pro-rated based on the number of days that the health care workers physically report for work in a month.

“About 20,208 public and private health workers directly catering to Covid-19 patients shall receive an SRA not exceeding P5,000 per month from December 20, 2020 to June 30, 2021,” the DBM statement read.

Meantime, the DOH assured that it would continue to support health care workers.

The department, through its CHDs, has coordinated with public and private hospitals to submit the lists of eligible health care workers who are yet to receive the SRA until today, so as to allow the agency to comply with requirements to facilitate the requests of additional funding from the DBM.

“Nakikiusap po kami na ang mga ospital at health facilities ay makipagtulungan sa kani-kanilang mga CHD upang makapag-submit ng kanilang mga requirements. Ang ating Centers for Health Development naman ay handa pong gabayan kayo. Magtulungan po tayo dito (I urge the hospitals to coordinate with their CHDs and submit the requirements. They are ready to assist you. Let us help each other on this),” Vega said.

The DOH has instructed the CHDs to conduct town hall sessions with hospital management and health care workers on SRA processing.

The DOH has recognized the need to further improve inter-agency coordination and streamline processes among its operating units to ensure efficiency in providing benefits for the front-liners. (PNA)