Gov't U-Turns On Temp Nurses' Contracts
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday May 17, 2021 15:49
Another savingram bearing the permanent secretary’s signature stated: “I refer to savingram MHW3/2/11I dated May 4th, 2021 through which you were informed of the suspension of paid overtime and employment of temporary officers. This serves to inform you that the savingram has since been withdrawn.” This comes after the ministry decided to suspend overtime and employment of temporary officers due to a limited recurrent budget. Botswana Nurses Union publicity secretary, Aobakwe Lesolame said the union was happy with the ministry’s move to withdraw its decision on the matter. “We are glad that the ministry has taken issues that we had raised with them seriously and did not implement its decision.
There is a serious shortage of nurses in our hospitals and those temporary nurses are helping a lot in isolation areas and hospitals because the COVID-19 pandemic has made the situation worse. Our hope is that the ministry should employ those nurses and other supporting staff that have volunteered. Currently, over 150 temporary nurses have been engaged in different districts,” Lesolame told The Monitor on Friday. Earlier on Reaitsanye had said the ministry has not been allocated funding for payment of salaries for COVID-19 temporary employees in this financial year. “However, these resources are critical in the fight against the pandemic.
It is for this reason that a decision has been made to use funds under the temporary assistance and overtime allowances to pay salaries for temporary employees already employed for the COVID-19 response. To this end, temporary employment coming to an end should not be extended beyond May 2021.
Overtime work should be compensated through days off. You are all urged to comply with this decision to ensure that the small budget we have is diligently used towards COVID-19 response,” Reaitsanye had said.