COVID-19 Health Workers Need Extra Attention, Golkar Legislator: Pay Incentives On Time

Illustration-(Photo: Viki Mohamad/Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of Commission VI of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Gde Sumarjaya Linggih, believes that the government needs to pay extra attention to the payment of incentives to health workers (nakes) who work at the forefront of handling COVID-19 patients.

Because according to him, the workload borne by health workers during this pandemic is very heavy. Not to mention having to bear the risk of being exposed to COVID-19, either for themselves or for families who interact at home.

Demer, as he is familiarly called, asserts that the safety of the people is the highest law. Without intending to override procedures and rules of the game, he said, incentives for health workers should be prioritized.

"Pay on time, even the amount must be increased. Of course this is not worth the sacrifices and risks that health workers face," said Demer, Friday, July 16.

He said this was in response to the news that a number of health workers had resigned recently.

As stated by the Head of United Indonesia Doctors, Eva Sri Diana Chaniago, a number of health workers have resigned from their jobs amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.

They resigned because the workload was heavy and the incentives for handling the pandemic promised by the government had not been disbursed.

In addition to paying more attention to incentives for health workers, the Bali constituency legislator also reminded the government to immediately settle arrears to a number of hospitals that provide services and care for COVID-19 patients.

He hopes that these two things will become the government's focus and priority. Because according to him, health workers and hospitals are two very vital things in handling COVID-19 patients.

"This is very decisive in increasing the cure rate. In addition to the low rate of transmission, the high recovery rate is an indicator of our success in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic," said Demer.

"The challenges we face due to this pandemic are very heavy. All sectors of our lives, especially the economic sector, are experiencing a decline," he continued.

Therefore, this senior Golkar Party politician asked all elements of society to play an active role in efforts to get out of the pandemic problem. Currently, he said, all parties must give the government a chance to work. Meanwhile, the people obey what is being programmed by the government.

"Like a ship that has a leak in the middle of the high seas, the cooperation of all the captains and guided passengers is the key to our success in getting out of this test. If that happens, people's health will surely recover and the economy will bounce back," concluded Demer.