The Federal Government says it has paid N4.6 billion to 55,031 health workers including resident doctors working in the frontline of COVID-19 pandemic across 35 medical institutions.
It has, in addition, paid N9 billion as premium for group life insurance for its workers.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed who disclosed this during a press briefing on Sunday also disclosed that most of the demands of the medical doctors have already been met by the government.
Mohammed who was accompanied by his counterparts in Health, Osagie Ehanire and Labour, Chris Ngige also disclosed that the National Assembly has backed the implementation of the residency training programme by providing ₦4 billion in the revised 2020 budget.
The Ministry of Health was equally working with the Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) to build a template to assure same in the personnel cost of 2021 budget.
The minister explained that personal protective equipment (PPE) have been supplied to all state and federal tertiary hospitals while additional funds to procure more have been provided in the revised 2020 budget.
Mohammed however, clarified each health worker in Covid-19 designated Hospitals and Centres would be paid 50 per cent of their consolidated basic salary (CBS) while those in non-COVID-19 designated centres and hospitals would be given 40 percent of CBS.
All health workers directly managing Covid-19 patients in treatment and isolation centres will get 20 per cent of CBS and non-health professionals engaged in those centres will get 10 per cent of CBS.
“We are also aware of the challenges confronting health workers in carrying out their duties, especially the provision of the PPE.
“But I make bold to say that the Federal Government has done everything possible to procure PPE and make such available to our health workers.
“Of course, the fact that this is a global pandemic has affected the availability of PPEs and other requirements for fighting the pandemic.
“Not even the developed countries have been able to procure all that they require, such as PPEs and ventilators.
“But Nigeria has prioritized this and has also succeeded in procuring as many PPEs as possible for distribution to our health workers, and we now have a stockpile for emergency situation.”
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