HEALTH workers reporting for duty have started receiving
the Covid-19 risk allowance from Government amounting to $1 500.
The allowance is based on the risk factor as determined by
the authorities. The health workers have been grouped into three risk categories:
high, moderate and low risk for the Covid-19 allowances.
In the high-risk category are health workers in contact
with the positive cases and these include doctors, nurses, radiographers,
laboratory staff, environmental health workers, oral health staff, nurse aides,
ambulance drivers, mortuary attendants and general hands.
In the moderate risk category are those in contact with
patients or suspected cases and these include the pharmacy, rehabilitation,
laundry and health promotion staff.
All other health workers fall into the low risk category as
they have been deemed to have indirect contact with patients or suspected
cases.
The health workers on the higher risk level will receive
100 percent of the risk allowance which is $1 500, while 60 percent and 40
percent of that amount – $900 and $600 – is paid to those on the moderate risk
and low risk levels.
In a telephone interview yesterday, Zimbabwe Hospital
Doctors Association (ZHDA) president Dr Tawanda Zvakada said the doctors who
are at high risk received a risk allowance amounting to $1 500 which will be
paid every month.
“We received the risk allowance but it is not much at all.
The $1 500 is not enough, taking note of the increase in prices of basic
commodities at the shops,” said Dr Zvakada.
He dismissed social media claims that health workers
received US$100 as a risk allowance.
Apex Council Health chairperson, Mr Enock Dongo said health
workers started to receive the risk allowance on top of their monthly salaries
this month.
He said health workers who are in contact with the Covid-19
patients get a higher amount.
“The health workers have started receiving the monthly risk
allowance as of this month’s pay date. All the nurses, doctors and general
hands were put at the high-risk level. Supporting staff at the hospital who are
those who do not come into contact with the patients but are there at the
hospital are the ones on moderate level. Those who are in the administration
were graded into the low risk,” said Mr Dongo.
He said they will continue to appeal to Government to
review the risk allowance upward. “We appeal to the Government and the
corporate world to come on board and make sure they motivate the frontline
workers.
“We are like in a war. Everyone should come up and pull
resources together for the health workers in this pandemic. Going to work not
knowing what will happen to our families since we are breadwinners,
psychologically affects the health workers. There is a need to ensure that they
are cushioned in this era,” said Mr Dongo.
He said if health workers are not motivated in the fight
against Covid-19, then more positive cases in the country are inevitable.
“The moment the health workers are not motivated definitely
they are not going to put their maximum efforts and knowledge to come and
contain the spread of Covid-19, thus this risk allowance should be reviewed
upwards. We are also not happy about the lack of Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE) at hospitals.
It’s like we are sending soldiers to war without guns,”
said Mr Dongo.- Herald
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