Health dept seeks risk allowance restoration

Medical workers have been boycotting OPDs to protest its discontinuation

KARACHI:

The Sindh health department has written to the provincial finance department, requesting the restoration of the health risk allowance in light of rising coronavirus cases.

The discontinuation of the allowance, which was announced earlier this month, had created resentment amongst doctors, paramedics and nurses and made them reluctant to perform their duties, wrote section officer Abdul Sattar Perhyar on Sunday, adding that the precarious situation made it necessary to continue the allowance and encourage health workers.

Meanwhile, the Sindh Young Nurses Association (SYNA) announced an end to its affiliation with the Grand Health Alliance Sindh. They stated they would make their strategy known and schedule a protest soon, but for now, nurses would resume work in all hospitals of the province.

SYNA has been a part of the GHA protest for the approval of demands, including the resumption of the health risk allowance.

The GHA's protests have continued throughout the past week, with doctors, nurses and paramedics boycotting outpatient departments and operation theatres at public hospitals.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2020.