Covid risk allowance: DHO says 'govt accepted demands of health workers'

ISLAMABAD: The District Health Officer (DHO) has announced that the dialogues between the federal government and health workers remained successful as the government accepted their demands, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The health officer, Dr Zaeem, said in a statement today that the demands of federal health workers regarding the COVID-19 risk allowance have been accepted by the government and the F-9 mass vaccination centre made functional.

He added that 17 COVID-19 vaccination centres were made functional which came under the administration of the District Health Officer (DHO) office.

An important session was held under the chair of Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan today which was attended by the representatives of the workers from different hospitals of Islamabad.

During the session, the government has taken important decisions after holding talks with the protesting federal health workers. It has been decided that the government will be provided the lists of employees of all hospitals and other medical institutions to get COVID-19 risk allowance.

The list of clinical and non-clinical staff will be provided to the health ministry by Thursday, whereas, the health ministry will forward its recommendations to the government for its early approval.

The health ministry’s spokesperson said that the authorities will disburse COVID-19 risk allowance to the federal health workers at the earliest after its approval from the federal government. The special allowances will be paid to the health workers till the elimination of the virus, the spokesperson added.

Earlier on Tuesday, the district health workers had announced to go on strike in Islamabad to protest against the non-payment of COVID-19 risk allowance and decided to organise a protest at the F-9 mass vaccination centre.

The district health workers had announced to shut federally-administered vaccination centres to protest against non-payment of Covid risk allowance. They added that doctors, LHV, LHW, supervisors and nurses will not join the duties today.

It is pertinent to mention here that the health workers of Islamabad’s government hospitals had already gone on strike Monday against the non-release of the COVID-19 risk allowance.