FG bumps up insurance/allowance package for health workers

The Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunninbe Mamora, has revealed that the Presidential Task Force had provided a robust allowance and insurance coverage for the frontline health workers in the fight against coronavirus (COVID-19).

This comes weeks after the uproar triggered by the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, over the N5,000 hazard allowance to frontline health workers battling the pandemic.

But addressing newsmen Monday, Dr Mamora said,

“On Tuesday, April 21, 2020, the Minister of Labour and Employment (Chris Ngige) convened a stakeholder meeting to discuss hazard/welfare package for medical and health professionals working for the prevention and containment of the of COVlD-19.

“The Federal Government agrees to shelve the payment of the existing hazard allowance of N5,000 being paid across board to health workers. 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 FG 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 healthcare workers as special non-public hospitals and clinics in the federal ministries, departments and agencies for same three months period.”