Allowance for health sector staff more encouraging
DPI, Guyana, Thursday, January 16, 2020
Persons employed in the health sector are now taking home increased allowances after the Coalition government implemented overall improvements in this key sector.
This was highlighted by Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence as she spoke to residents of Uitvlugt on the West Coast of Demerara on Wednesday evening.
Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence speaking at a community meeting hosted by the Region Three APNU+AFC campaign committee.
The Minister posited that the allowance increases took into consideration all levels of staff in the health sector. “When this government says that we will address an issue we don’t address it in a small way, or we don’t address it for some people and not the other set of people. When we do things, we do it comprehensively,” Minister Lawrence remarked.
With regards to nurses the Health Minister noted that starting 2020, nurses will receive $30,000 for uniform allowances annually as compared to $13,000 which they would have received previously.
She further outlined, “Doctor-on-call allowances were once as low as $1,800 across the board…Today, our doctors will get $4,000, our registrars are getting $4,500 and our consultants are getting $5,500. I want you to know that money is being paid per session! Therefore, if a doctor is on call for 36, 28 or 56 hours, just imagine the package… we have now given them a respectable rate.”
According to the minister the allowance increases also extended to the nurses receiving a station allowance. “We remembered the midwives and the nurses, they are getting that all across the board an extra $10,000 and if you work in the hinterland, you’re getting $24,000. We didn’t stop there, staff in the health sector are now getting rations/meal allowance, another $8000.”
Added to this the staff at the lowest level in the health sector along with all other staff including maids and attendants are getting a risk allowance of $5000.
Minister Lawrence noted that these improvements are paying dividends and more young professionals are switching from the private health care setting to the public health sector to serve.