Mat North Nurses Threaten To Quit Over Outstanding COVID-19 Allowances
Nurses in Matabeleland North Province allege that they have gone for several months without receiving COVID-19 allowances.
The US$75 per month risk allowance was introduced in June 2020 after the government recognised the significant risks faced by health sector professionals and civil servants as frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A nurse at St Luke’s Mission Hospital, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Southern Eye that they suspected corruption as they were no longer getting the allowances. Said the nurse:
It’s been many months without getting our COVID-19 allowances, and we might end up quitting.
It’s clear that top health officials convert the money for personal use.
What we do is dangerous, we are always at risk of catching the virus, and the least they can do is give us our money.
The Health Minister should be alerted over what is happening and stop the corruption and injustices happening to us.
Provincial Medical Director (PMD) Admire Kuretu told the publication that delays were a result of meticulous checks carried out by authorities to ensure the money benefited the right people. Said Kuretu:
I have not received any complaints from anyone. The other issue is that the processing of the allowances involves a lot of paperwork to make sure the right people are paid.
This might cause an apparent delay in the payment of the allowances.
