Government Will Define Who Qualifies as “Frontline Health Worker” Soon – Prez Akufo-Addo

The President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo says his government is making efforts to arrive at a clear definition of a “frontline health staff” in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic

The president in this regard, has asked the leadership of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) to make inputs into the definition “that makes sense for everybody.”

Akufo-Addo had earlier said that “"an insurance package, with an assured sum of GH¢350,000 for each health personnel and allied professional at the forefront of the fight, has been put in place, with a daily allowance of GH¢150 being paid to contact tracers. Government has also decided that all health workers will not pay taxes on their emoluments for the next three months, i.e. April, May and June. Furthermore, all frontline health workers will receive an additional allowance of 50% of their basic salary per month, i.e. for March, April, May and June. The March allowance will be paid alongside that of April."

His assertion sparked controversies about who qualifies as a frontline staff  to enjoy these benefits.

The Minister for Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman Manu weighing in on the President’s statement said only a category of nurses were going to enjoy the packages.

He said at a press briefing that, “All of us are health workers but not all of us will do some work that will make us take advantage of the large bonus.”

However, speaking at a meeting with the leadership of the GMA, President Akufo-Addo said finality will be brought to the matter to prevent any doubts.

“Effort is being made on the part of the government, to arrive at an acceptable definition, and I think your input will be very necessary and required, so that we get a definition that makes sense for everybody and which addresses the issue of people who are also in the frontline, as it were, of dealing with this disease,” President Akufo-Addo said.

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The President said the government is committed to ensuring that health workers are supported as they deliver essential services to the populace especially amidst the outbreak of Coronavirus.

“On my part and on the part of government, we will continue to see what we can do to meet you halfway, ease the issues that you have. I think you heard my broadcast the other day, I indicated the measures that we want to put in place to support you in the work that you are doing,” Akufo-Addo noted.

The President added that several interventions have already been rolled out to ease the burden on health workers.

“Buses for nurses and health workers have started plying the streets of Accra, the allowances that are going to be paid to health workers are being worked out by the Finance Minister, and, very soon, in the course of this month the first payments are going to be made,” he said.