Akwa Ibom Health workers, under the aegis of National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP), have appealed to the state government to pay their COVID-19 inducement allowance.
The plea is contained in a communique issued and jointly signed by the Chairman, Dr. Enobong Akpan, and Secretary, Dr. Ekerette Ekanem, at the end of its General Meeting in Uyo on Thursday.
The association, in the communique, also demanded immediate payment of residency training grant to their members undergoing the exercise from the state government.
“Government should as a matter of importance pay the COVID-19 inducement allowance to all health workers in the state as others, including the Federal Government, had since paid health workers.
“Government should restore payment of monthly subventions to enhance smooth running of the state-owned hospitals.
“Government should sign, without delay, the Akwa Ibom State Health Insurance Agency Bill into law to give the people access to qualitative healthcare services.
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“The ongoing out-of-pocket expense for health services in the state has indirectly caused unwarranted morbidity and mortality among citizens.
“To protect doctors and other health workers in the state, hospitals should be adequately equipped with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE),” the communiqué read.
The association said that the 2015 Leave Grant owed doctors should be paid, and that salary arrears of doctors employed in 2019 by the state government should also be paid without further delay.
It further said that about 60 per cent of resident doctors working at different teaching hospitals were already dropping out of the programme due to lack of funding by the state government.
The association said that the need for urgent restoration of the yearly residency training grants could not be over-emphasised.
It commended the state government on major renovation and upgrade of some hospital facilities.
The association appealed that once doctors on in-service training undergoing residency programme pass part 1 examinations of the postgraduate colleges, they should be promoted.
It noted that government should as a matter of urgency activate a more robust response to COVID-19, as a result of the recent increase in the number of confirmed cases in the state.
The association said that this would help in curbing the spread of the virus and stop needless loss of lives in the state. (NAN)
