OFW Nurses and Frontliners in the U.S. Account For Highest Number of Migrant Healthworker Deaths
Filipino nurses, at home and abroad, have been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, with many falling sick and ultimately dying of the disease. Over 22 million have been infected with COVID-19 in the U.S.A., the worst-hit country in the world, and as OFW nurses make up a large part of the American healthcare system, Filipino healthcare workers in the U.S. make up the highest number of migrant healthworker deaths in the country.
The U.S.A. has recorded the most number of COVID-19 deaths in the world with over 370,000 fatalities. Official numbers from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention report 928 healthcare workers deaths in the country as of December 2020, but The Guardian and Kaiser Health News suspect that the number is more than three times the recorded amount and estimated to be around 3,132 as of January 2021.
The research found that, from the 694 instances where the country of origin of the deceased healthcare worker was available, immigrant healthcare workers accounted for one-third of frontliner deaths in the U.S. Of that amount, the Philippines made up the second-highest country of origin for fallen frontliners in America. Around 92 migrant Filipino nurses and healthcare workers have died.
Other countries of origin of deceased migrant workers include Haiti, Nigeria, Mexico, and Cuba.
Of the 1,485 people for whom the researchers have occupation data, 478 were nurses, double the amount of healthcare support staff and physicians.
There are over 150,000 Filipino nurses in the U.S., all of whom brave the pandemic every day.
