Resident doctors at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital have asked for increased hazard allowance from the state government as frontline healthcare workers in fight against coronavirus.
They also appealed to the state government to introduce life insurance policy for healthcare workers so that families of workers could have something to rely on in the case of death.
The President of the Association of Resident Doctors at the University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Sokolo Josephine, made the request on behalf of other members at a press briefing on Wednesday.
Dr. Josephine said: “We are appealing to the governor that the Federal Government has done its part, that he should also look at that which has been done by the federal government and increase the hazard allowance of the healthcare workers to fifty per cent of their basic salary.
“Also in our line in fighting of this Covid-19, we have been exposed (and) we have been infected. He should also have in place a life insurance for all health workers working in the system so that in case anything happens to any health worker the families will not be rendered bankrupt or rendered useless and cannot take care of themselves if anything happens to the breadwinner”.
She said as frontline healthcare workers they would be motivated if the request was granted.
Dr. Josephine said that the governor Chief Nyesom Wike should come to their aid.
The president of the association of resident doctors said that the governor had been proactive in fight against coronavirus.
The president said: “I want to especially thank His Excellency, Chief Barr. Nyesom Wike, for all he’s doing now in the health sector especially now in the Covid-19 era. He has been proactive in the fight against this Covid-9 by first of all closing the borders to limit and mitigate the spread of this virus.”
She also commended the governor for awareness creation and for establishing two treatment centres in the state.
She said they made the appeal because they face hazard daily in the line of duty saying that apart from coronavirus they also face hazard from other infectious diseases.
