FG Approves COVID-19 Allowances for Health Workers

pharmacy

Following the initiative of the Lagos State Government in increasing health workers hazard allowance by 400 per cent, the Nigerian government followed suit, in less than 24 hours to announce the approval of three months of COVID-19 allowances for medical doctors, pharmacists,nurses and other health workers in Nigeria, starting from March 2020.

The allowance, which is in three categories as stated by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige who led the Federal Government team to meet with the healthcare practitioners, said the first category is an increase of fifty per cent as hazard allowance to health worker, while the second is 40 per cent as consolidated salary for healthcare workers.

According to.him: “The last category of workers are those directly at isolation centres with risk allowances of 20 per cent and non-core health workers will get 10 per cent of their salaries”

He further explained that government agreed to begin insurance for workers as well as the employees  compensation insurance

“While government agree not to tax health workers at this period, it however rejected a demand for extension in the case of health workers due for retirement during the COVID-19 period”, he stated.

The meeting was attended the Minister of Sate for Health Adeleye Mamora, acting Executive chairman, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Nta Ekpeyong, the National President of Nigeria Medical Association, Francis Faduyile and the National Chairman of the joint health sector unions, Biobelemoye Josiah as well as representatives of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM