About 80,000 barangay health workers, or BHWs, were dismissed from service without due process right after the local elections by newly elected officials, a lawmaker said Sunday.

In an interview, BHW Partylist Rep. Natasha Co disclosed that the mass termination transpired even with the existence of Joint Memorandum Circular 2023-001 of the Department of Health and the Department of the Interior and Local Government for the retention of BHWs and their continued role in primary health care delivery.

"Even with the joint memorandum circular, tila parang walang takot na pinagtatanggal pa rin ang ating mga barangay health workers," Co said. "Usually, it's because of politics. The dismissal of our barangay health workers is unjust and without due process."

She said the 80,000 BHWs dismissed in various parts of the country by barangay chairpersons have undergone training, registration, and accreditation, indicating that they have rendered service for three years.

"In fact, many of them are around 40 years, 30 years in service but were fired without knowing the grounds," she said.

Co had voiced her appeal to DoH Secretary Ted Herbosa and DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos to accord the terminated BHW due process and compassion.

The party vehemently demurred with the dismissal, stressing that it has severely undermined primary health care delivery in thousands of barangay.

Co underscored the crucial need for BHWs, considering the country's constantly growing population and ever-present public health threats.