THE Department of Health (DOH)-Central Luzon has assured healthcare workers of the release of their Covid-19 benefits following threats of protest actions from medical frontliners.
On Sunday, August 29, DOH-Central Luzon said the Special Risk Allowance (SRA) for healthcare workers who have met the guidelines and conditions for the grant filed from December 2020 to June 2021 are already in process.
It also clarified that the SRA is granted to public and private healthcare workers who have been highly exposed or have direct contact with Covid-19 patients.
"While there are already healthcare workers who got hold of their SRA, DOH-3 recognizes their concern on the amount they received," the department's statement read.
According to Administrative Order (AO) 36 dated November 16, 2020, public and private healthcare workers who were highly exposed are entitled to receive Covid-19 SRA not exceeding P5,000 per month.
"However, the department would like to emphasize that the SRA grant is prorated based on the number of days that the healthcare workers physically report for work in a month, as certified by the head of hospital, laboratory, or medical and quarantine facility, as stipulated in the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and Department of Health (DOH) Joint Circular No. 2, s. 2020, dated November 25, 2020," it added.
DOH also said that it released the SRA in accordance with the information submitted by the head of the hospitals, local government units, and private health facilities.
Recognizing the "heroic and invaluable contributions of healthcare workers who bravely and unselfishly risk their lives and health by being at the forefront in this time of the Covid-19 pandemic, DOH said it will continue to process and provide the SRA for healthcare workers.
It also assured healthcare workers that the department is "more than willing to hold a dialogue with healthcare workers to listen to their concerns on the provision of the said benefit."