Unentitled people get Covid-19 risk allowance

The audit officials have sought answers from the management of the Pakistan Institute of Management Sciences (PIMS) over irregularities in disbursement of coronavirus risk allowance.

At least Rs10.3 million allocated for frontline health workers at Pims under coronavirus health risk allowance went in to the pockets of non-entitled officers and officials, sources told The Express Tribune.

The distribution of the health risk allowance was contrary to the conditions defined by the National Coordination Committee (NCC), Pims officials said requesting anonymity, as they were not authorised to talk to the media.

As per the audit paras read by The Express Tribune, NCC, on March 26, had decided to disburse coronavirus risk allowance to all healthcare workers along with their monthly salaries.

Therefore, the ministry of finance had sought a list of the employees from the public hospitals who have been working in the coronavirus wards or serving in any isolation facilities.

The audit documents stated that the Pims Child and Mother Healthcare Centre (CMH) received Rs10.3 million. However, it has been learnt that the centre was not dedicated to treat the pandemic infected patients and the employees received allowance without even performing the required duties. The allowance was distributed among the centre’s workers in cash.

The audit officials have sought clarification from the Pims management on violation of guidelines approved for eligibility of coronavirus health risk allowance.

Protests go unheard

During the peak of pandemic, the government had made many promises to keep doctors and paramedical staff on the frontline of war against the virus. However, the staff working long hours at Covind-19 wards was left protesting for the promised health risk allowance.

At first the paramedical staff, particularly the nurses, held protests demanding the allowance. The Pims nurses claimed that half of them had been tested Covid-19 positive while serving the patients in the isolation wards but they were denied the health risk allowance.

Pims management had assured of resolving their issues in mid-July but it was only an act to buy time and keep them working in the wards.

The Young Doctors Association (YDA) at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) – which was the main health centre treating Covid-19 patients in the federal capital – had blamed poor government policies, the incompetence of the hospital’s administration, and the lack of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) for a large number of doctors and healthcare officials getting infected.

YDA Islamabad Chapter head Dr Fazale-Rabbi had claimed that the administrative staff was getting four months extra pay while doctors were deprived of additional salaries and risk allowance during the pandemic.

He also said that the top administration had adopted discriminatory behaviour with the doctors as well by not increasing salaries of all cadres across the board.

He said that the doctors must be given additional salaries and risk allowance as well. He also added that sweepers and paramedics working in emergency have been given nothing.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21^st, 2020.