The Federal Government has attributed the spike in COVID-19 cases to lack of compliance with the directive on lockdown.
“The rising number of cases is of concern to all but there is evidence of increasing in-country community transmission, which, to a large extent, is as a result of non-compliance with lockdown orders and other non-medical interventions and other presumptive source of exposure to infections,” Minister of State for Health, Olorunnibe Mamora, said at the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing in Abuja, yesterday.
As part of measures to check the spread of the disease, President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered a two-week lockdown on March 30 but extended it by two weeks on April 13.
However, there have been complaints of non-compliance with the directive.
The minister also announced the commencement of payment of the upgraded hazard allowance for frontline health workers fighting against the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Nigeria.
He said the new incentives, including insurance, was a result of an MOU between the Federal Government and representatives of the unions in the health sector.
The upgraded allowance, he said, includes Special COVlD-19 Hazard and lnducement Allowance of 50 per cent of the consolidated basic salary.
“This is to be paid to all health workers in all the Federal Government Teaching Hospitals and Federal Medical Centres, the designated COVlD-19 centres and the primary healthcare centres, to last for the first three months in the first instance.”
Mamora said that 40 per cent of consolidated basic salary would be paid as Special COVlD-19 Hazard and Inducement Allowance to healthcare workers at special non-public hospitals and clinics in the federal ministries, departments and agencies for the same three months period.
He explained that 20 per cent of the consolidated basic salary would be paid as Special Risk Allowance additionally on the Special COVID-19 Hazard and lnducement Allowance to all health workers directly managing COVlD-19 at the infectious diseases hospital, isolation and treatment centres.
Mamora also noted that another 10 per cent of consolidated basic salary would be paid to non-core medical professionals working in the health sector and operating at aforementioned hospitals or clinics as special allowance for the COVID-19 for the period of three months in the first instance.
He said that the PTF on COVlD-19 was also requested to provide additional insurance cover for frontline health workers at infectious diseases hospitals, isolation and treatment centres.
