DILG to hire 3,000 contact tracers in WV

SAN JOSE, Antique – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is set to hire more than 3,000 contact tracers to seek those who might be infected with COVID-19.

“The hiring is part of the government’s expanded contact tracing efforts to effectively manage the impacts caused by COVID-19,” DILG-Antique Provincial Director Cherryl P. Tacda said.

The DILG, being the lead agency in contact tracing pursuant to Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Resolution No. 25, issued Memorandum Circular No. 2020-077 directing local government units (LGUs) to establish the LGU Task Force Against COVID-19, including the creation of the local contact tracing teams.

In Region 6, over 3,000 contact tracers are needed. Postings of job vacancies were already done in different social media platforms by the DILG regional and provincial offices.

“The DILG Antique Provincial Office is now accepting applicants who have completed the basic requirements. The applicants may submit the basic requirements either via e-mail or thru a drop box provided at the entrance of the Provincial Office on or before September 18, 2020,” Tacda said.

The DILG has maximized the publication of the vacancy through different social media platforms.

The DILG may prioritize hiring former contract of service personnel, whose contracts have not been renewed or have been affected by the budget realignments due to COVID-19; Returning Overseas Filipino Workers (ROFs) whose employments have been disrupted; local company workers whose services have been recently terminated; displaced workers both in the formal and informal sectors; from the existing networks of barangay health workers; 4Ps parent-leaders, and members of accredited Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

The following are the qualifications of contact tracers: preferably graduates of Bachelor’s Degree on Allied Medical Courser; other health-related courses, or Criminology.

The preferred experience would be any of the following: must be skilled in data gathering, research and documentation; must be able to interview COVID-19 cases and close contacts in order to gather data on travel history and conduct health assessments; must possess the ability to advocate public health education messages; and should have investigative capability.

Upon hiring, the contact tracers will conduct case interviews, profiling and perform initial public health risk assessment of COVID-19 cases and their identified close contacts. They will serve until December 2020.

“While retained on a need basis, contact tracers may be deployed anywhere in the region or province where their services are required. The deployment shall be based on the LGU’s need, depending on the case to close contact ratio,” DILG Antique Contact Tracer Focal Person Dexter Monserate said.

 

The enhanced contact tracing effort is a joint effort of different national government agencies such as Department of Health (DOH), DILG, Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines and Bureau of Fire Protection. (Judy Mae Magdato-Sajo)