Health workers express frustration

The National Health Workers Association of Liberia has expressed frustration over government’s alleged failure to provide better incentives and good working condition for health care workers in the country. Members of the association recently abandoned work in demand for better incentive from government.

Speaking Thursday, 13 November during a talk show hosted on Power FM in Monrovia, the president of the health workers association, Joseph Tamba, said he is frustrated over government’s failure to provide better incentives for health care workers.

Mr. Tamba noted that health care workers are poorly catered for in Liberia than any country around the world, something he said discourages everyone who wants to become a medical doctor or a nurse.

According to him, since October this year the Minister of Finance, Amara Konneh, informed health workers that the US government had provided US$5 million to the Government of Liberia for the salary of health workers in the country.

He said since Minister Konneh pronounced that health workers were to receive their regular salary including extra benefit, the government is yet to fulfill the promise.

A few months ago, health workers staged a go-slow in demand of salary, and better incentive, which prompted authorities of the Ministry of Health to dismiss the president of the association Joseph Tamba, and the secretary general George Williams. Mr. Tamba stressed that health workers need better incentive to stay on the job and serve the Liberian people.

“It pains health workers in Liberia to see other health workers in neighboring countries having their own vehicles and houses, where they can access money from the bank at any time”, he added.