Maravi

(LUSAKATIMES) Health workers get 100% salary hike

Health workers get 100% salary hike
TIME PUBLISHED - Thursday, January 26, 2012, 8:20 am

GOVERNMENT has increased salaries for all health workers by 100 percent, Minister of Labour, Sport and Youth Chishimba Kambwili said in Ndola yesterday. He said the pay rise will boost morale among health workers across the country.

“Today , we have increased the salaries for all our health workers by 100 percent, so when the PF government says it is putting more money into people’s pockets, we mean business and we are serious,” Mr Kambwili said.

The minister was speaking after visiting Morganite Limited. He said Government is concerned about the poor salaries many workers get across the country.

Mr Kambwili said the salary increment for health workers is an indication that Government is committed to improving salaries for civil servants, as promised during election campaigns.

And in another development, Mr Kambwili has ordered Morganite Limited general manager Stanley Kampo to report to the ministry next Tuesday.

The minister said Government is concerned with reports that Mr Kampo abuses workers and insults them.

“First of all, I am shocked that the person we are talking about is a Zambian and honestly, how can he do that to fellow Zambians? I want him next Tuesday at my office so that he can answer the allegations,” Mr Kambwili said.

“Today , we have increased the salaries for all our health workers by 100 percent, so when the PF government says it is putting more money into people’s pockets, we mean business and we are serious,” Mr Kambwili said.

He was speaking at Morganite Limited after paying a surprise visit to the company. The minister also ordered management to engage a human resource manager to help the company with personnel issues. Mr Kambwili said management should also allow workers to form a union.

And workers complained about the poor salaries offered by management. One worker said the pay slip does not indicate the housing allowance paid to workers and that they have not had a salary increment for the past four years.

Meanwhile, PRESIDENT Sata has asked Minister of Finance Alexander Chikwanda to explore ways of doubling remuneration of Zambian doctors as a way of putting more money in their pockets and improve health.

Mr. Sata also said rural health centres in the country are in a deplorable state and it is important to improve the doctor to patient ratio by having more doctors attend to patients in rural centres.

“I am pleading with the Minister of Finance,” President Sata said. “We have to find ways of doubling salaries for doctors to beat others in the region, so that we can attract our doctors back.”

If the doctors wages are doubled, a junior Zambian doctor from the University of Zambia could take home about K10 million which is still less than their colleagues in Nambia and South Africa.

President Sata said this at State House yesterday after he swore in a deputy minister, a permanent secretary and ambassadors and high commissioners.

He regretted that it has taken long for some ambassadors and high commissioners to take up their positions despite being appointed as far back as October last year, because of the poor record previous office holders left behind and urged new diplomats to exhibit exemplary behaviour.

“I am pleading with the Minister of Finance,” President Sata said. “We have to find ways of doubling salaries for doctors to beat others in the region, so that we can attract our doctors back.”

Mr Sata said it is important to have more doctors in the country to improve the health profile of citizens and make sure the PF manifesto is implemented.

The President’s directive is in line with the Patriotic Front campaign promise to improve the health sector by facilitating the building of vital infrastructure that will deliver primary healthcare as close to the people as possible.

In its manifesto on human resource, the PF says it intends to improve conditions of service to minimise the brain-drain.

It also plans to “rehabilitate and expand existing health training institutions to increase the number of graduates”.

Recently, President Sata announced an ambitious plan to erect some 650 health centres countrywide to make health care more accessible.

He said the new health posts are lined up as follows: 98 in Southern Province while Central Province will have 52 and Western Province will have 62 new health posts.

Mr Sata said new health posts will bring with them the benefits of boosting the construction sector and consequently job creation during the construction phase, plus greater access to health, especially in rural areas.

Northern Province will have 107 new health posts while North-Western Province will have 74. Lusaka Province will have 27, Luapula 63, Eastern 68 and Copperbelt 87.

The President said the health posts and residence facilities will be equipped with solar systems, equipment and furniture, hand pumps, medicines, dressing materials, electricity and running water.

President Sata also instructed the Minister of Health Dr Joseph Kasonde to step up the recruitment of health personnel both locally and abroad to ensure that the new health posts are adequately staffed.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Labels: CHISHIMBA KAMBWILI, HEALTHCARE, NURSES

posted by MrK @ 5:00 PM