Boost for health workers as Fed Govt approves hazard allowance, others

 Moses Emorinken and Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

NIGERIAN health workers on the frontline of the battle against the coronavirus pandemic got a major boost on Monday.

The Federal Government said they would get special incentives, including hazard allowance, insurance and tax rebates.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with health professional associations and unions has been signed, Minister of State for Health, Dr Adeleke Mamora, said.

He spoke at the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja.

Mamora said he and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, met with stakeholders to discuss hazard/welfare package for medical and health workers on the frontline.

Parties, he said, reviewed the implication of COVlD-19 on healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

Mamora said the Federal Government agreed to shelve the payment of the existing N5,000 hazard allowance, which had been in existence since 1991.

“In its place, a special COVlD-19 Hazard and Inducement Allowance of 50 per cent of the Consolidated Basic Salary is to be paid to all health workers in all Federal Government Teaching Hospitals and Federal Medical Centres and her designated COVlD-19 Centres and Primary Health Care Centres to last for the first three months in the first instance.

“Forty per cent of Consolidated Basic Salary would be paid as special COVlD-19 Hazard and Inducement Allowance to health workers at special Non-Public Hospitals and clinics in the Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for same three months’ period,” Mamora said.

Mamora said 20 per cent of the Consolidated Basic Salary will be paid as Special Risk Allowance in addition to the special COVID-19 Hazard and Inducement Allowance to all health workers directly managing COVlD-19 at the Infectious Diseases Hospitals, isolation and treatment centres.

“Ten per cent of Consolidated Basic Salary would be paid to non-core medical professionals working in the health sector and operating at aforementioned Hospitals/Clinics as a special allowance for the COVID-19 period for the first three months.”

According to Mamora, the health workers noted that the Federal Government has paid and activated the Group Life Insurance for all categories of workers in the public service with 13 insurance companies but urged the Federal Government to ensure full payment for the cover to last for one year.

He said: “The Federal Government is urged to also fully reactivate the Insurance Policy for Employees under the Employees Compensation Act (ECA) to cover for infirmities, critical illnesses, disability and death in the course of managing COVID-19 cases.

“These two insurance covers which are for all federal public servants, especially the health workers for COVID-19 and Post COVlD-19 period for the next one year, is guaranteed by this MOU.

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“The Presidential Task Force on COVlD-19 (PTF) is requested to provide additional insurance cover aside the above listed for Frontline Health Workers at Infectious Diseases Hospitals (IDH), Isolation and Treatment Centres.

“Also, the PTF is urged to dedicate all the Life Insurance donations to the volunteers and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) health workers. This is because they are not covered within the Federal Civil Service Scheme.”

Mamora added: “The government agrees to a tax waiver on the Special COVlD-19 Hazard Allowance, and will consider same for call duty, specialist and shift duty allowances for three months in the first instance during the COVID-19 period.

“The Federal Government, through the PTF and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), agrees to scale-up the provision of personal protective equipment (PPEs) to all health workers in the Federal Tertiary Health Institutions (FTHIS) and extend the same support to State Governments to protect their health workers.

“The request for the retirement of health workers to be moved up to 65 years, and that of Medical Doctors, Consultants to 70 years was discussed. The government agreed to look into this post-COVlD-19.”