By Ndey Sowe
The government of the Gambia has noted that they are working on health insurance for healthcare workers.
The Government made this statement in agreement they had with health who were protesting against what they termed was the government’s failure to meet their demands.
According to the agreement, any health worker who suffers infection from Covid-19 will get full medical treatment and in the case of anyone who succumbs to Covid-19, his/her family will get compensation package and the children will be provided scholarship to first degree level in public institution of learning in the Gambia.
This was disclosed on Tuesday, 14th July 2020 during a meeting held between the Senior Management led by the Hon Minister of Health and the Taskforce members representing the affected healthcare workers at the Ministry’s Head Quarters in Banjul.
In feeding, the government agreed that feeding will be provided from the imprests paid to the team heads and each person on duty will be given the cost of any meal that would have met the person on duty.
“Phone credits will be provided to those responders that need phone credits for the smooth operation of the service”, said the government.
Government agreed that accommodation will be provided to team members from the Laboratory, Rapid Response and Contact Tracing, and the list will be provided by the Taskforce.
The issue of honorarium was also discussed with an understanding reached that: “Government has approved D100 Million (20% of the Covid-19 Response Funds) to be paid as honorarium to the health care staff”.
Adding that honorarium will be paid based on previously agreed risk stratification which was provided by their Unit Heads, and was agreed that honorarium payment will proceed as the amount available now is what is distributed based on risk stratification.
“The honoraria payment would continue as a one-off payment”, it stated, adding the ministry will continue to engage partners for any possible support to enhance the Covi-19 response of the payment, the ministry agrees to continue to explore other avenues for possible additional support,” the agreement between the protesters and the ministry reads.
With regards to resumption of duty, it was agreed that the staff will resume work immediately and that no one will be victimized because of the incident.
