#WeStandForFrontliners | Unity Statement

With no clear sign as to when this COVID-19 pandemic will end, millions of medical workers continue to brave the frontlines every day and expose themselves to multiple health risks, especially mental health ones. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that numerous COVID-19 health care workers were already portraying symptoms of mental health problems. Doctor Edgar Jolly Santos, an emergency medical doctor in St. Luke’s Medical Center, confirms that emotional and psychological stress create big impacts on their mental wellbeing. Statistical data was published revealing that 1257 medical frontliners were considered to have increased stress levels due to the overwhelming workload and insufficient equipment. The study further states that 50.4% were reported to have symptoms of depression, 34% experienced insomnia, 44.6% developed anxiety, and 71.5% felt distressed from their situation.

Moreover, we must not forget that many other people risk their lives for us aside from hospital workers. Food delivery operators and cleaning services are some prime examples. Last May, Premier Value Provider Inc. conducted a mental health survey on Filipino employees that was said to produce quite alarming results. In this, only 35% were reported to bear no symptoms of any problem. Nisha Cooch Ph.D. also notes that this demonstrated distress is not limited to the duration of the outbreak but will continue to persist when all goes back to normal.

As organizations advocating for a safe and healthy mental state, we firmly believe that the psychological well being of the frontliners is of utmost importance as we fight against the current pandemic. Therefore, we would like to express our appreciation for every long shift and sleepless night that has been sacrificed by our modern-day heroes. Inspired by their unwavering spirit amid numerous difficulties, we insistently push for the further implementation of the Philippine Mental Health Act (R.A.11036), which was signed in 2018 by President Rodrigo Duterte to increase neurological, psychiatric, and psychosocial services in all hospitals and community settings. Despite this, the government has not executed any strategic plans regarding this matter.

Before quarantine has started, data reports from BJPsych International have announced that 14% of the entire Philippine population is identified to have mental health issues. Though because of the ongoing pandemic, the number of people affected has increased to around 22% as stress levels continue to rocket, and more conflicts arise. As we draw nearer to President Duterte’s State of the Nation Address, we strongly urge the government to immediately strengthen psychological facilities to address all those who are undergoing mental illnesses. By addressing this issue, the government will not only be providing a sense of positivity to the frontliners but to all those who are mentally struggling through economic downfalls and lost loved ones.

Numerous organizations, whether government-funded or not, have launched monetary donation drives to support our frontliners. The money collected is used to purchase PPEs, food sets, and other necessities that they may lack. We believe that these material donations are not enough. Every day, constant worries plague their mind, and one of them is whether they are putting their family members at risk of catching the disease. As they are the nation’s backbone in this time of crisis, we must also care for their mental wellbeing by providing them with psychosocial support. Simple words of gratitude can go a long way because it shows that we acknowledge all the effort that they have given to improve the conditions of our country. However, we also recognize that these words can only do so much for them. There will be times when professional assistance will be needed, which is why we repeatedly commend that the Philippine Mental Health Act be reinforced during this upcoming SONA. With this, we ask everyone to stand united with us as we continuously fight for our Filipino workers who remain as the sole fighting force against the ongoing pandemic.

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Sources:

https://cnnphilippines.com/lifestyle/2020/4/8/coronavirus-covid-pandemic-health-workersfrontliners-mental-health.html?fbclid=IwAR3xeO96WTomnQHNXsGnei-36fyJOt2Z3PQ2 apU4ncvmbhAH-Yf2jWGGWuA

https://www.onenews.ph/stress-anxiety-depression-on-the-rise-among-gen-z-millennial-e mployees-and-those-working-from-home-survey

https://business.mb.com.ph/2020/06/08/covid-19-stress-a-kryptonite/

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/03/578454/covid-19-and-mental-health-risks-f rontliners

https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-pandemic-doctor-ambulance-worker-suicid es-how-to-help-2020-4

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6646843/

https://www.practiceupdate.com/content/covid-19-impact-on-frontline-workers-mental-he alth/100259