COVID-19, The Virus That Pushed The Phlippine Medical Profession To Its Limits

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the nation’s healthcare profession - the struggles, the losses and the triumphs

Updated:

8 October 2026

WHEN IT ALL BEGAN

It was the year 2020 when the 1^st confirmed case of Covid-19 infection was reported in the country. It was a novel beta coronavirus that originated from Wuhan city, Hubei province in China. It presented as a cluster of pneumonia cases that was easily transmitted from one person to another via the airborne route. The number of infected individuals increased exponentially in just a very short time until it was declared a global threat. The world was put on hold as this virus made a disastrous introduction to mankind who has no idea on how to recognize it, contain it, and most of all suppress it.

Due to the alarming number of cases and deaths caused by this Covid-19 infection, on March 16, 2020 the government of the Philippines under then President Rodrigo Duterte imposed an Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon. Total lockdown was implemented, restricting the movement of the population except for essential services. Additional restriction mandating the temporary closure of non-essential shops and businesses.

The hospitals started to saturate due to an overwhelming influx of patients inflicted by this dreaded virus. Fear, anxiety and even panic haunted the healthcare workers as they continue to serve and uphold their vow despite the very fatal nature of this viral infection. It was just a matter of time before this plague encroach every halls of medical institutions, releasing its wrath to anyone who stand in its way. The medical profession was faced with a formidable foe whose weakness was yet to be identified.

WORLDWIDE CRISIS

The Covid-19 pandemic left an indelible mark in human history. Its impact was catastrophic, its effect dramatic. In 2020, it was reported that an estimate of 3 to 4% gross domestic product (GDP) was lost. Around 7.3M Filipinos loosing their jobs, temporarily or permanently, due to business closures. There was a huge drop on remittances from OFWs due to retrenchment in their host countries. Around 90,000 businesses, mostly micro small & medium enterprises (MSMEs), remain closed. Effects on tourism, entertainment and media, religion, sports, elections were also greatly felt.

The pandemic has profoundly changed the lives across the world, forcing majority of people to adopt new way of life both physically and mentally. All segments of the population are affected and is most detrimental to those in vulnerable situations like people living in poverty, older persons, person with disabilities, the youth, the indigenous people.

The quarantine restrained the people’s freedom to earn a living, severely affecting the daily wage workers, the “No Work, No Pay” will mean no food for their families. Psychological effects of stress - anxiety, depression, suicidal behaviors became imminent most specially to the healthcare workers.

HEALTHFORCE IN CRUMBLES

As the Covid-19 endured another year, the effects of its mayhem took a toll on the healthcare system globally. At least 7,000 healthcare workers worldwide have died after being infected with the coronavirus. In 2021, the Department of Health (DOH) recorded 24,234 health care workers positive for COVID-19. Of these, 23,767 (98.1%) have recovered, and unfortunately 104 (0.4%) have died. Mentors, colleagues, friends succumbed in the hands of this novel virus that it struck fear to each and everyone of us in the medical profession.

Covid-19 protocols and policies were created and put to test. Wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE) became the norm in the medical world. Sanitation, disinfection, isolation are just some of the things that became a habit for us during this trepid period.

As patients continued to crowd healthcare institutions, there were shortage of hospital beds in both regular as well as intensive care units (ICU), mechanical ventilators and medical grade personal protective equipment (PPE). Pandemic fatigue and burnout starts to ensue among the healthcare professionals. I personally remembered the struggles brought about by the pandemic. When it was imperative to wear a Tyvek PPE suit and respirator with an operating room (OR) gown over it while doing surgery, just like what is shown in the photo. The heat, the exhaustion, being soaked in sweat all over until the procedure was concluded. And that is just to name a few. Mental illness became rampant in the work place, and absenteeism significant. Some even willingly hang up their gloves.

There were postponements in life-saving interventions like surgeries and chemotherapies for cancer patients, dialysis for kidney failure patients, transplant procedures. Delayed attendance to emergency cases as well were frequent due to the cumbersome process of screening and testing for Covid-19, procedures on donning and doffing of PPEs. Quality of healthcare reached rock-bottom. Patient morbidities and mortalities became seemingly inevitable.

There seem to be no end in the tragedy caused by this worldwide pestilence. The medical profession was on the verge of crumbling as it continue to lose frontliners due to deaths, illness or abandonment. A series of unfortunate events engulfing the health and the lives of humankind like no other.

Below is a collage of some of the brave doctors who served until their very last breath during the pandemic.

Salute to the comrades we’ve lost in the war against Covid-19

HEAL AS ONE

As the nation started to pick up the pieces, an act was promulgated on September 2020 to reprogram, reallocate, and realign the budget to address the Covid-19 disaster like allocating additional funds for social amelioration, recovery areas, and assistance to sectors and industries affected. With this provision the Filipino people breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Then on February 2021, the Philippines received its first Covid-19 vaccines – the last among ASEAN countries. The government officially launched its vaccine rollout on March 2021, starting with the medical frontliners. This paved the way to the slow transition to recovery of our nation despite being faced by several anti-vaxxers. As of March 2023, around 79.2 million people were already fully vaccinated from the Covid-19 virus in the Philippines.

“Bayanihan” in its literal sense, was mostly felt in the medical profession. Colleagues and good Samaritans from both public and private sectors extending a helping hand donating foods, PPEs, disinfectants, etc. Business tycoon Mr. Ramon S. Tan of San Miguel Corporation, implementing the “no toll fee” policy for medical practitioners at its expressways until September 2021 was of great value in boosting the morale of us frontliners.

THE NEW NORMAL

As the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases start to stabilize and the effects of mass vaccination prove to be successful based on the “We Recover As One” report, the WHO has declared “with great hope” an end to the Cvoid-19 as a public health emergency. Stressing that it does not mean the disease is no longer a global threat. The whole nation is already in transit to the “new normal” phase - Even though private clinics and other medical institutions start to resume operations, the Filipino people start to embrace teleconsultation that was frequently used during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Online webinars and virtual trainings became a venue for continued medical education for healthcare professionals since physical gathering was prohibited early on the community quarantine periods. Cashless and contactless transactions became popular in the trade and industry sector. Proper sanitation and frequent hand disinfection became a habit for all, not only in the medical world.

The silver lining behind the Covid-19 pandemic was that we were able to learn what we must do the next time a crisis like this emerge. We now know that there is a need for an effective and unified decision-making on a number of critical health, social and economic issues during similar crisis. We now know that the government need to strengthen the role of science, technology and health institutions for an effective response if ever another pandemic arises. Let us always remember the unwavering sacrifices of the healthcare workers, and not let it go in vain. Let us not forget those who lost their lives during the pandemic so that we can keep ours. Let this serve as a reminder for everyone – from a common citizen up to the highest ranking official – that if we do not prioritize and improve our healthcare system, when another “invisible” enemy attacks then we are sure bound to lose.