Frontline health workers allowance not yet paid - Health Minister

The Ministry of Health has confirmed that government is yet to pay the 50 percent allowance promised to healthline workers in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman Manu revealed this in a question posed to him following complaints by some workers at Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research.

"This is an unfortunate situation. It looks like some wrong information has gotten to Noguchi and am sending my Chief Director there today to explain things further," he told a journalist at Thursday's media briefing.

"So far this extra allowance the President announced to be paid to frontline health workers has not been paid to anybody. All the heads of the service providers namely the Ghana Health Service, Quasi Government Institutions, and Teaching hospitals CEO's have all signed an arrangement that we should hesitate a little bit for them to dialogue with their workers until they come out with their own arrangement," he added.

According to the minister, Noguchi cannot be left out adding that they are adding clinical academic consultants, University Lecturers who are practicing, and veterinary officials who are helping with testing.

"Noguchi staffs cannot be left behind, this is a battle that we are fighting together where lives are even more serious and exposure levels are high, so we will explain why certain things have not been done and the anomaly will be rectified," the minister said.

President Akuffo Addo last month announced some incentives to cushion frontline health workers including 50 percent allowance.

COVID-19 cases

Currently, Ghana's case count has risen from 5, 408 to 5530 with recoveries also rising from 514 to 674 with the death toll still at 24 cases.

Government in March imposed a two-week lockdown in Accra, Tema, Kumasi, and Obuasi for two weeks which was subsequently extended for another week.

Although the lockdown has been lifted, the ban on public and social gathering has however been extended to 31st May.