Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi State Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has approved the payment of Occupational Safety Allowances to frontline health workers who are rendering their services at the isolation centre and management of COVID-19 patients in the state.
The Chairman of the Task Force Committee on COVID-19, Hon Jafaar Muhammed, who confirmed this on Sunday during a press conference said the allowances were structured to enhance the pay of frontline health personnel who are facing risk while taking care of COVID-19 patients.
He said the affected health personnel includes public health officers, medical officers, nurses, pharmacists, medical laboratory, disease surveillance and notification officers and directors of Primary Health Care at the local government areas.
He said: ‘A Consultant will be paid at the rate of N20,000 daily. Medical Officers will receive N15,000, Nurses, Pharmacists and Medical Laboratory Scientists will be earning N10,000 per day. Ambulances Drivers, Cleaners and Security personnel will be paid N5,000 each.
‘Likewise, the Occupational Safety Allowances are paid to the Epidemiological and Surveillance officers and graded according to their level of risk involvement as follows: high risk, N15,000; medium risk N10,000; and low risk at the rate of N7,000.’
Muhammed also disclosed that Governor Bagudu has approved motivational incentives for task force team members and frontline health workers who are working tiredness to contain the spread of COVID-19.
According to him, ‘the Task Force Team members were given N250,000 each while the chairman of the Task Force was awarded the sum of N500,000.
‘The team of frontline workers will receive their packages as follows: Consultants will receive N300,000, Medical Officers, Pharmacists, Medical Laboratory Scientists, Nurses at the Isolation Centre will receive N250,000, Medical Officers at Hospitals trained on IPC and Case management will get N200,000.
‘Nurses at General Hospitals trained on IPC and case management will get a package of N150,000, Epidemiology and Surveillance officers, Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers(DSNO), Director of Primary Health Care at the State and LGAs will earn N150,000 each.’
He added that supporting staff working with the Emergency Operations Centre will earn N100,000 while others like ambulance drivers, security officers and cleaners will get N50,000 packages.
Muhammed, who commended the frontline health workers for their resilient work, disclosed that five COVID-19 patients have been discharged from the isolation centre in the state.