WHILE it’s yet to be confirmed whether Guyana has lost any healthcare workers to the dreaded COVID-19 disease, the enormity of the situation is ever-present, and the risk is high.
In the circumstances, the Guyana Government, following an appeal from frontline workers to be compensated for the risks they are taking, had indicated, a while back, that it was in the process of considering offering a risk allowance to those persons working “in the direct frontline”.

The latest on that is that just recently, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, announced, during an interview with the media, that his ministry will be proceeding with the payout of risk allowances to those healthcare workers who are in direct contact with COVID-19 patients. He also reported that regional healthcare officers are currently in the process of identifying the aforementioned category of healthcare workers who are expected to benefit from the proposed payout.

“We are now compiling that list, because some of them have already responded,” Dr. Anthony said, adding: “When we compile that list, we’ll start giving those allowances, once those persons are identified as frontline workers.”

The confirmation of the risk allowance payout for healthcare workers dealing specifically with COVID-19 patients follows the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) facilitating the donation of some 5,000 three-ply surgical masks to the local healthcare authorities, courtesy of the local firm, Leading Technology.

Also, the Human Services and Social Security Ministry had announced, recently, that it will be expanding its childcare assistance programme to accommodate those frontline workers who are providing an essential service or key public services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, during a virtual press conference, had stated that she is willing to lend whatever assistance she can to frontline workers in both the public and private sectors.

The first phase of that programme is expected to benefit not just healthcare workers, but also police, army, prison, fire service, as well as security officers who have children below the age of seven. Through the programme, ‘Human Services’ will make direct payment for childcare services being rendered.

A study conducted by Amnesty International has found that at least 7,000 healthcare workers the world over have died after contracting COVID-19 while on the job. At least 1,320 healthcare workers are confirmed to have died in Mexico alone, the highest known figure for any country.

Amnesty International has also recorded high numbers of fatalities among healthcare workers in the USA (1,077) and neighbouring Brazil (634), where infection and death rates have been high throughout the pandemic, as well as alarming figures in South Africa (240) and India (573), where infection rates have reportedly soared in recent months.