The Nigerian government has said the increase of hazard allowance to frontline health workers fighting to curtail the spread of Coronavirus will take effect next week.
Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, speaking during the Presidential task Force briefing on COVID-19 on Wednesday, promised that there is work in progress regarding hazard allowance and results will be seen latest next week.
“As for the hazard allowance for frontline health workers, work is still going on and within the next week, you will see the result.
“It has not yet been finalised but we have met with all the stakeholders, organisations, doctors, and we have also prepared the promises that were made and also the rates that may have been used in other places. The results will come with time,” he said.
Ehanire, lamenting the scarcity of PPE for frontline health workers, said all efforts were being put in place to ensure health workers and doctors do not run short of supply.
He, however, noted that the government may result to procuring PPE from local manufacturers because of extreme scarcity of the equipment from manufacturers.
“The PPE is one of the most precious commodities you can think of now. We are looking for a good stockpile because we want to be able to protect our frontline health workers to make sure they don’t run short.
“We have also told them to use these commodities very judiciously because they are extremely scarce in the market.
“We are exploring the possibility of procuring from local manufacturers because manufacturers have come up to say that they’re able to make PPE for us.
“We don’t have enough PPE, but we have enough for the purpose that we are in at this time and we are definitely looking for more,” he added.
