Former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Sylvester Mensah has challenged President Akufo-Addo’s decision to remunerate only government nurses.
His comment follows President Akufo-Addo’s announcement of three months tax holidays for frontline health workers helping in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
According to him, government should extend its incentive package to all health facilities and health professionals since they equally contribute their quota to curtail the spread of coronavirus.
“Positive cases may appear in any of the 5,000 health facilities across the country and by not including all health workers, you may be demotivating those who work outside the designated centres,”he said in a lengthy Facebook post.
Without mincing words, he described the decision to only focus on frontline health workers as “grossly inadequate, inaccurate and inappropriate”.
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“When a person with the virus visits his neighborhood clinic, he may interact with many health workers before he is referred to one of the 56 health facilities, and health workers at his clinic may be at even greater risk, as they may not have the same level of protection and preparedness as exists in the 56 earmarked facilities,” he justified.
Mr Mensah however advised the Akufo-Addo led government to desist from actions that may trigger disaffection and its consequences.
He further urged health professionals in high risks areas must under twice monthly testings to guarantee safety of patients.