As health workers across Liberia continue their strike action, President George Weah has instructed the Minister of Health to carry out a new recruit of health workers to fill in the vacuum created.
Recently the government of Liberia convened a second meeting with the leadership of the National Health workers Association of Liberia aimed at abandoning their strike action but according reports that group did not agree on grounds that they want all of their demands be met.
The first meeting with the Health workers on September 8, 2020 did not heal a fruitful results as the striking workers were being reportedly threatened.
The action of the health workers Association meanwhile prompted government to begin a recruitment process of new health workers.
In a statement Signed by Liberia’s information Minister Lenn Eugene Nagbe, the decision is based on the refusal of the health workers to reach a compromise with the government.
He said the new recruitment would help fill the void to prevent the sector from collapse.
“The Ministry of Health has been instructed to solicit applications from qualified health workers of various grades, including nurses, nurse aides, midwives, laboratory technicians, etc. in order to fill the temporary vacancies that have resulted from the strike action. These applications must be submitted immediately to county health centers, the Ministry of Health, and the JFK, for screening by the MOH,” the statement reads.
The statement added that the new recruitment would not affect health workers who did not abandon their posts. The government reiterates its commitment to ensuring that there is continuing improvement and viability of the health sector.
The government lamented that the intentional steps taken to amicably resolve the ongoing standoff with members of the leadership of the Health Workers Association of Liberia; they continue to remain uncompromising, unreasonable and recalcitrant.
What do the Health workers want?
The leadership continues to demand unionization for health workers, in addition to an immediate implementation of standardized pay-grade and increment in salaries for more than 9,000 health workers at an estimated cost of US$15 million per annum.
The leadership is also demanding payment for more than 11,000 health workers who are not directly involved with COVID19 response, potentially a payment of US$8 million as “hazard pay” in addition to their regular monthly salary payment through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
The government, during a meeting chaired by President George Manneh Weah on September 8, 2020, informed the leadership of the workers that unionizing civil servants, including health workers, would be a violation of chapter 1 Section 1.5 of the Decent Work Act, and the Civil Servant Standing Order which together exclude Government employees from unionizing
Information Minister Nagbe has also disclosed that government has committed US$2 million as initial payment of the hazard honorarium.
However, the health workers say the amount is a “drop in a bucket” and want government tackle some of the tangible counts.
Health Minister Appeals
In the wake of government-planned replacement of striking heath workers, Liberia’s minister of Health Dr. Willimina Jallah is appealing to health workers to return to their duty posts.
Speaking to Ok FM morning program on Monday September 21, 2020 Dr. Jallah slickly disagreed that the planned recruitment is not intended to replace health workers but is a routine process because some health workers have been retired and need replacement.
According to Dr. Jallah from time to time the ministry does recruitment to replace those who are retired
She said healthcare workers including herself are very important to cater to the sick especially those who are special caregivers.
Dr. Jallah disclosed that many of the striking health workers are specialists are could not just be replaced with just health workers.
