Chronicle Editor
Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
GOVERNMENT has to date paid $98 million to 1 749 health workers who contracted Covid-19 in the line of duty as an insurance payout.
A total of 4 444 health workers have been infected by the pandemic since the beginning of the outbreak last year.
More payments are expected from Treasury so that the infected all receive the Covid-19 insurance payments.
Health workers, who also form part of the frontline staff, have been given a July 14 deadline to get inoculated or forfeit the Covid-19 risk allowance if they get infected and are not immunised from that deadline going forward.
In written response to questions from the Chronicle yesterday, Health Services Board executive chairman Dr Paulinus Sikosana said a total of 4 444 have been infected since the beginning of the outbreak last year as local infections continue to sky rocket.
“A total of 432 health workers had been paid initially from an early disbursement of about ZWL$23 million, last week an additional ZWL$75 million was disbursed by treasury and additional 1 367 health workers were paid,” he said.
Dr Sikosana said the 4 444 represented employees under the HSB, not only nurses.
He also encouraged the health workers to get vaccinated before the July 14 deadline so that they remain eligible to receive the Covid-19 insurance payments.
Zimbabwe Nurses Association president Mr Enoch Dongo confirmed the payments of nurses who fall under his organisation.
“Yes, some of our members have received Covid-19 compensation after testing positive to the scourge. We however, call for the employer to provide more personal protective equipment to mitigate against the spread of the virus,” he said.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said those who would not be vaccinated against the virus will not get insurance payouts.
She said it had been noted that while the frontline workers were given the opportunity to vaccinate ahead of others, a considerable number of frontline workers (20 percent) have still not presented themselves for vaccination given the risk this poses not only to other workers but also to patients.
The Public Service Commission (PSC) last year announced that Government employees who contract the coronavirus in their line of duty will be entitled to financial benefits.
Those who succumb to Covid-19 in their line of duty would be entitled to a full year’s salary paid to their family, on top of the usual benefits associated with their work.
Online Reporter