Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. president Dr. Jose Rene de Grano said Saturday that private hospitals are currently facing a shortage of medical workers.

As the country continues to struggle with the Covid-19 pandemic, De Grano said many healthcare professionals who previously worked in private hospitals have moved to public institutions or left the country.

It can be recalled that the health workers demanded a salary increase to cope with the rising cost of living.

According to De Grano, regardless of how well-prepared private hospitals are to accept Covid patients, the primary issue is the medical frontliners who will care for the patients.

"Private hospitals are feeling the impact of a shortage of healthcare workers," he said over a radio interview.

Earlier, the Department of Health said the country needs 106,000 nurses in public and private clinics and hospitals aside from the lack of 67,000 physicians, 6,000 pharmacists, 5,500 radiologic technologists, 4,400 medical technologists, 1,600 dietitians, 700 midwives, 223 physical therapists and 87 dentists.

The DoH, for its part, once again urged Congress to work on amending Republic Act 7305, also known as the Magna Carta of Public Health Workers, which aims to include medical professionals in private hospitals nationwide, standardize medical professionals' wages and benefits, and prevent medical professionals from migrating.