Linden nurses, reject lead-up from “visionless leaders” to protest

Dear Editor,
Nurses at Linden staged protest actions on Wednesday morning over unpaid risk allowance and late salary. Over 50 nurses took to the streets at “the five corner” in Linden, expressing their displeasure with the way they are being treated. Many of them chanted for the money to be paid over.
They met on the protest line with Region #10 aspiring Regional Chairman Mr Darron Adams. The Ministry of Health and the CHO of Region #10 must be very concerned about the action of these nurses and officials, as the Ministry has indicated that steps are being made to douse the problem. An official at the Region 10 Administration, which overlooks accounts and payments for the hospital, said the issue really has to do with “a simple administrative matter”, and the nurses do know, and many of them understand, that because of that administrative glitch, they will be paid shortly.
Editor, it is sad to say that we still have certain leaders in Region #10 who are politicising this situation. Our PPP/C Government is only 47 days old, and has already created a budget that demonstrates its commitment to every Guyanese, including our nurses and every other frontline worker. A whopping $150M has been set aside for frontline workers in the 2020 National Budget, with sweeping incentives for our nurses and doctors fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
Linden nurses: don’t take lead-up from the “visionless leaders”. It is your PPP/C Government, as soon as they went into office, that set aside some $4.5B to aid at the household level those affected by the COVID-19 scourge. All nurses are a part of that household level. Let us give the PPP/C Administration an opportunity to do good for all our frontline workers in Region #10, and for every citizen that is affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Let me appeal to all our leaders in Region #10 that it is important for organisations to understand how to support the psychological wellbeing of staff who are exposed to traumatic working conditions, especially where employees have little or no training in how to prepare or cope with the emotional impact of the current difficult working environment.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, local authorities will need their staff to continue to function and carry out their very important roles, and manage the increasing need for their services and information whilst dealing with their own personal situations and emotions.
Frontline and key workers, especially our nurses and those in social care roles, may be worried about their vulnerability to higher risk of infection, and be worried about spreading the virus to their families; or they may be experiencing additional stress because of having to offer more support to bereaved and grieving resident and, yes, will worry about monetary incentives.
We must remember that good organisational leaderships and a supportive work culture can have a positive impact on the psychological wellbeing of these staff members before, during, and after the COVID-19 crisis.
During this period of increased pressure and anxiety, it is essential that employers and hospital administrators send a clear message that the wellbeing of staff, workers and nurses and other frontline personnel matter.
As the COVID-19 pandemic remains with us today, our Government is aggressively and scientifically addressing it at a national level by refocusing financial and other resources to improve testing capacity and to acquire much needed pharmaceutical and health care supplies, in order to bring relief to all our people like never before.
High on our Government’s agenda is the enhancement of measures and stakeholder involvement with a view to keeping our citizens safe.

Sincerely,
David Adams