The Philippine government suspended the sending abroad of nurses, and their assistants and aides because the annual limit of 5,000 healthcare workers deployed has been reached.
The processing of permits for the medical workers has been suspended immediately, Bernard Olalia, head of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, said in a June 1 statement posted on the agency’s website.
The Philippines, which sends thousands of medical staff overseas to work every year, is seeking to reinforce its healthcare system as local coronavirus cases surge. The nation added 6,955 cases on Saturday, bringing the total to more than 1.2 million.
Healthcare staff who have been issued employment certificates to work overseas will still be allowed to leave, according to the statement.