By Kebba Ansu Manneh
Association of Public and Environmental Health Officers of The Gambia has written a strong letter to the Secretary-General and Head of Civil Servants over Cabinet approval of allowances earmarked for the Minister of Health Dr. Ahmadou Lamin Samateh, Doctors and Ph.D. Holders working at the Ministry of Health.
In January, Cabinet of President Adama Barrow gave approval to increase allowances of the Minister of Health, Doctors and Ph.D. Holders working at the Ministry of Health, a decision that garnered wide condemnation within the Ministry of Health and among the Gambian populace.
Scores of Public Health Officers who spoke to this medium over the issue also reacted angrily to the approval of the allowances and considered it as unfair treatment, segregation and biasness demonstrated by the cabinet and Minister Ahmadou Samateh.
In a letter addressed to Secretary-General and Head of Civil Servants signed by Modou Jallow, Secretary-General of GAPHO said the decision to increase the allowances of the Health Minister, Ph.D. Holders and Doctors working at the Ministry of Health without increasing the allowances of other health workers “is discriminatory, unfair and bias in all forms and manners.”
It is stated in the letter that the demand to increase the allowances of health workers during the height of the Coronavirus pandemic was raised but was rejected by the personal management office. And under the circumstances any decision to increase the allowances of few health workers without considering other health workers can best be described as discriminatory.
“GAPHO is concern over the recent decision to create specific allowances for the Health Minister, PhD Holders and Doctors serving the Ministry of Health.
The association did not mean to contest the decision of Cabinet, however, it is discriminatory to make a controversial preposition of increasing the allowances for only few without paying due consideration to other highly skilled medical and health professionals at government institutions,” stated in the letter sent to the Secretary General and Head of Civil Servants.
It added in the letter that “As the association respect and harness higher degree of learning, it is equally important to reward special skilled technicians and other officers including midwives who are providing essential services under strenuous conditions.”
GAPHO went on in the letter that the unjustifiable move made by the Cabinet without due consideration to possible repercussion of the decision could cause great instability within the Ministry of Health. While reminding the government that for 55years there has never been such an unpopular and discriminatory action against a cadre in the history books of the country.
However, GAPHO in conjunction with National Pharmacy Staff Association has made five key recommendations in the letter sent to the Secretary General and Head of Civil Servants and among the list: The immediate suspension or reversion of the decision to increase the allowances of few staff and leaving behind the majority staff working within the same Ministry; urgently, investigate the victimization of some senior public health officers as reported in the media; use the proposed allowances to initiate the employment of more than 100 volunteers working at the Ministry of Health for years without getting employed; review the allowance increments for all cadre at the Ministry of Health; Movements and promotions of health workers must be based on public orders and personal procedure manual and the medical service act.
“Finally the entire healthcare fraternity is seriously concern with the move made by the Cabinet and we demand explanation from your office on these points above on or before 10th March 2021. While we wait on your feedback, we will try and keep our members calm and focus to deliver quality health care services throughout the country,” the letter concluded.
