President Irfaan Ali yesterday announced that all “health care professionals” will now be classified as frontline workers and receive a bonus equivalent to two weeks’ pay as part of his government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ali, while delivering the feature address at the Commissioning of the Leonora Smart Health Care Facility, explained that the reclassification and bonus are part of his September promise to protesting health workers to address their concerns before the end of the year.
In September workers at several public health facilities took to the streets calling for all health workers to be classified as “frontline workers” amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and therefore be eligible to receive a risk allowance. They also requested an increase in the risk allowance being offered, access to more personal protective equipment and a raise of pay.