Covid-19: New Directive For Frontliners Bias, Discriminatory — Coalition Of Concerned Nurses

The coalition of concerned nurses of CHAG has expressed its displeasure in an ongoing exercise directing hospitals and Clinics to collate data of some staff considered to be frontline health workers whiles neglecting others.

The concerned nurses stated that "CHAG is requesting for staff at OPD, Laboratory staff, staff at the triaging unit, prescribers at the post, security men at main gates, revenue collectors who come into contact with patients without Midwives and Nurses at the ward."

In a statement, thee group said CHAG is restricting hospitals to present only 40 health workers and clinics to present 15 health workers.

"We therefore wish to bring to the attention of his Excellency the president of the Republic of Ghana, Ministry of health, the covid-19 select committee and all Ghanaians, that we appreciate the measures put in place so far to prevent the spread of virus and the Tax exemption given to all health workers but we see the directive on the side of the 50%, as discriminatory, bias and we believe, this directive should not be used to determine payment of frontline health workers"

The coalition further question government about the fate of those health workers who have already gotten the viruses and were not necessarily selected, as this letter from CHAG seems to suggest.

Read full statement below:

PRESS STATEMENT

20th, APRIL 2020.

Coalition of concern Nurses of CHAG (CCNC)

It has come to the notice of the aforementioned group of nurses and Midwives that, CHAG is requesting for names of staff to be submitted to government and it's agencies for payment of the 50% for frontline health workers. In the said letter CHAG is requesting for staff at OPD, Laboratory staff, staff at the triaging unit, prescribers at the post , Security men at main gate, Revenue collectors who come into contact with patients, while neglecting nurses at the ward, who comes into contact with patients during monitoring of vital signs and serving of medications every four, six, eight, twelve and 24hrs respectively. This letter is restricting hospitals to present only forty (40) health workers and clinics to present fifteen ( 15) health workers.

We therefore wish to bring to the attention of his Excellency the president of the Republic of Ghana, Ministry of health, the covid-19 select committee and all Ghanaians, that we appreciate the measures put in place so far to prevent the spread of virus and the Tax exemption given to all health workers but we see the directive on the side of the 50%,as discriminatory, bias and we believe, this directive should not be used to determine payment of frontline health workers.

We all are witnesses to the fact that nurses and other health professionals have been quarantined on several occasions, tested and even shown to be positive for covid-19, after coming into contact with patients, who have been admitted in their facilities without the facilities knowing that they are covid-19 patients, the question several of us continue to ask ourselves is that where lies our fate should we contract the virus.

This has further made us to raise questions about the insurance package that was announced by government, which was also meant for these same frontliners and where lies the fate of those health workers who have already gotten the viruses and were not necessarily selected, as this letter seems to suggest.

We wish to call on all Ghanaians to show interest in this matter, and not to allow our policy makers to bring the morale of our nurses and Midwives down, which will further worsen our already weak and vulnerable health system and in the long round affect our fight against the covid 19.

Attached is the blue print copy of the said document for your perusal.

Thank you.

Signed..................

CONVENER:

Akugri Gadafi Avokbil.

SDA Hospital Obuasi.

0248401659/0242293680

SECRETARY

Yogri Michael

Valley View hospital Techiman

+233 24 995 2873

PRO

Bilekmiah Moses Liman.

Ankaase Methodist hospital. Ashanti Region

+233 54 913 2387

ORGANIZER

Emmanuel Apumasu

Ankaase Mothodist Hospital Ashanti.

233 24 755 5477

Cc:

The President of the Republic.

The Minister of Health.

The Head of COVID 19 Select Committee.

The Executive Director of CHAG.

The Media.