NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Minister of Health Renward Wells said yesterday that 143 healthcare workers who stepped forward at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic during the first wave will be paid collectively $640,600, noting those men and women said ‘hear am I, send me’ when others were somewhat tepid and hesitant.
The government has allocated an additional $3 million in the budget as an honorarium for 1,690 healthcare workers who later joined the fight against the virus that has claimed more than 240 lives.
Wells said the government also paid overtime to nurses who worked during the pandemic.
A total of $162,313 was paid to nurses last October for the period January 2020 through August 2020.
Last September, Wells mandated that overtime was not to accrue and overtime was to be paid on a month-to-month basis.
But he said the Ministry of Health remains on a paper-based honor system and even after some overtime funds were paid, log sheets were still being submitted for Hurricane Dorian.
“Although the government was ready to pay the overtime accrued by employees the government still had to wait for the log sheets to be administratively compiled with accurate cost,” the minister said.
“Mr Speaker, I want it to be noted by all and sundry that the Public Hospitals Authority does not have this problem of paying overtime to healthcare workers since the Public Hospitals Authority has Accustaff sign-in electronic program system.
“Consequently, nurses employed at PMH were paid their overtime monthly and on time.
“I want it to be known that the time to wait on log sheets has come and gone.
Wells announced the ministry will invest in a biometric sign-in program for the Department of Public Health that will make overtime payments seamless.”
Pointing to the nursing shortage, Wells said the University of The Bahamas recently graduated 40 nursing students.
He said those nurses will sit their examinations in November.
Another 30 nursing students will graduate by the end of the summer.
A further 100 nursing students will be following after the group of 30.
“So, Mr Speaker, by the end of this upcoming fiscal year there will be an additional 170 nurses in our healthcare system,” the minister said.
He said The Bahamas tertiary education system is creating the dull-suite of allied healthcare professionals needed to fully staff the healthcare system with qualified professionals and experts.
“We must look to our young people to help get our country get through these difficult times and to help this nation’s recovery,” Wells said.
“This Free National Movement government is doing just that with this program.”
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