By YusuphaJobe
The Minster of Health has stated that The Gambia COVID-19 fight is one of the most difficult task he has ever faced as a Minister of Health, thus, the issue of allowances have overshadowed the fight against the pandemic among the health workers.
“COVID-19 period is a very difficult period for every country all over the world especially in the developing countries and the health workers, more so for the health ministers. But I think it is most difficult for the health minister of the Gambia because the Gambia is a special case.
“So instead of us response to Covid-19 to strategize, develop the policies to prevent the pandemic we deal with allowances and the allowance list issues of frontline workers every day,” Dr Samateh said.
Dr Ahmed Lamin Samateh revealed his Covid-19 fight frustrations on the side of his Ministry over the weekend during the ongoing National Assembly extra-ordinary session meant for the debate on the extension of the State of Public Emergency to another 45 days.
He said the issue of the Covid-19 allowances allocation was an idea from the government purposely for health care workers in the frontline providing COVID-19 health care duties to the people. This is as a result that no one can pay health care workers who risk his or her life on daily basis to take care of people in the course of this pandemic.
“We know no one can pay a health care worker enough especially those in the frontline risking their lives to save the people from the virus. That is why government came up with the idea at least to give those honoraria.”
He disclosed that the request for the list of the frontline workers marked begins of the problem especially when D500 Million was announced by the government, “unfortunately people started to forget about pandemic all they discuss was the D500 Million,” he expressed.
He went further to explain that “when the list was provided with the entire estimate it almost consumes the whole D500 Million as allowances alone.”
Since he rejected the first presented list and another one was represented “which was so big with names of over three hundred volunteers” and he again turned it down as he told them that they “only need the lists of the frontline workers.”
He went further to disclose that three hundred names discovered to be duplicated were removed from the list of the frontline workers to be paid Covid-19 risk allowances.
He expressed that some of the old health care workers within the ministry were given no chance to the COVID-19 funds as all efforts were tried by them to divert the funds to build houses while citing the case of the EBOLA crisis.
“I think the problem we are facing right now is an inherited one. Some of the same old people we have embezzled the EBOLA funds to construct 2 to 3 storey buildings still wanted to take charge of the COVID-19 funds to do the same thing which I rejected that is why they spoiling my image. That is why I say to become a Health Minister at this period is the most difficult moment,” he stated.