Manila: The Department of Health (DOH) has intensified its "Doctors to the Barrios" (DTTB) program with the deployment of 290 physicians to geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs) nationwide, the largest cohort since the program's inception.

According to Philippines News Agency, in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview on Thursday, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa stated that the deployment aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s commitment during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) to ensure that no municipality in the country remains without a doctor. Herbosa noted the priority is given to coastal villages, mountainous areas, and fifth- to sixth-class municipalities, which are remote communities where medical doctors are rarely present.

The 290 doctors, many of whom are scholars of the DOH and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), will serve a three-year assignment focusing on primary healthcare, nutrition, and maternal care. Herbosa emphasized that the program has already shown improvements in national health outcomes, with the incidence of malnutrition declining and childhood stunting dropping from a previous rate of 29 percent to 22.4 percent based on the latest figures. A similar downward trend has been observed in maternal mortality rates.

To support the transition, the DOH provides a comprehensive compensation package through the National Health Workforce Support System, covering salaries, equipment, and accommodation. The agency also offers professional growth opportunities, including scholarships for master's degrees in Public Health Administration at institutions like the University of the Philippines, Ateneo, and the Development Academy of the Philippines.

Herbosa expressed hope that after their three-year stint, the doctors would be encouraged by local government units to serve as permanent municipal health officers.