Ministry warns nurses, medical staffers against protests for risk allowance, other benefits

The Ministry of Health has issued a warning to health care workers against engaging in unauthorized protest action over risk allowance and other benefits. According to a letter signed by the Permanent Secretary, Collette Adams that has made its way into the public, the Ministry has taken note of the unauthorised industrial actions by nurses and other medical personnel who have engaged in such activity.

The Ministry has therefore issued a warning that they will be dealt with according to the Public Service rules and regulations. Adams noted that while several categories of healthcare workers, including nurses and Government Medical Officers, are entitled to risk allowance once they work in the infectious wards/ units, the Ministry understands the need for additional remuneration for all categories of health workers who have been fighting the COVID19 pandemic. The Ministry issued a memo to all Regional Health Officers (RHO) to submit to their relevant accounting and personnel units a list of all members of staff who are currently considered “At Risk”. The statement followed protest action by staffers of the Linden, West Demerara and Georgetown Public Hospital. The angry staffers had noted their frustration over the lack of risk allowance, adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and late pay.

In addition to the Ministry’s missive, Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) sent out a statement expressing concern that the Guyana Public Service Union, (GPSU) instigated and coordinated protest action involving nurses and other health care workers of the Corporation on September 25, 2020 without exhausting proper industrial relations practices and procedures in accordance with the Public Utilities Undertaking and Public Health Service Act Chapter 54:01.

The administration noted that while all staff members provided noteworthy service to the public during the pandemic, health care workers from the GPHC have resorted to measures that can only aggravate the current situation and place addition challenges on our fragile public health system. According to the statement, the hospital management noted that protecting staffers as this pandemic evolves remains a top priority.

(Kaieteur News)