Members Of The PSI Faction Of DPRD Surabaya Remind Mayor Eri Cahyadi To Pay Off Health Workers Incentives

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SURABAYA - The shift in the budget for handling COVID-19 in the City of Surabaya, East Java, was also requested to pay off the remaining incentives for health workers (nakes) at the puskesmas, which since January 2021 had only been paid 75 percent.

"We ask the Surabaya City Government to prioritize paying off this health worker incentive by refocusing the budget on the Revised APBD," said member of Commission D for Welfare at the Surabaya DPRD, Tjutjuk Supariono, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, August 10.

The budget for handling COVID-19 in 2021 in Surabaya, which was originally budgeted at Rp. 577,884,936,360, until early August 2021 was absorbed by Rp. 284,989,016,784 or 49.32 percent.

According to him, the 2021 health worker incentive budget in the General Procurement Plan (RUP) is around Rp. 90 billion. Meanwhile, Rp89 billion has been spent, even though the budget year is only half way through.

Tjuk said that based on the Decree of the Minister of Health Number 01.07/MENKES/4239/2021, the amount of incentives can be adjusted to the APBD of each region. He realized that Surabaya's finances were not in good shape, so he had not been able to pay full incentives.

"However, I urge the Surabaya City Government not to forget to pay off the remaining incentives. The health workers' quick work must be highly appreciated," said the PSI politician.

In addition, he said, since the COVID-19 pandemic, health workers have worked hard in handling the virus from Wuhan, China. Health workers and the public have the right to know how to calculate the 75 percent gain for health workers incentives in Surabaya.

Based on the Minister of Health's decision, he said, the incentives for health workers were differentiated based on the workload of health workers in handling COVID-19. The higher the risk of health workers being exposed to COVID-19, the greater the incentive.

"In the Minister of Health's decision, the formula for calculating incentives is also explained. My question is, where did the 75 percent amount come from? What is the formula like?" said Tjutjuk.

Referring to the Decree of the Minister of Health Number 01.07/MENKES/4239/2021, the maximum amount of incentive for specialist doctors is Rp. 15 million per person per month. For Participants in the Specialist Medical Education Program (PPDS), it is Rp. 12.5 million per person per month.

Meanwhile for general practitioners and dentists it is Rp. 10 million per person per month, nurses and midwives is Rp. 7.5 million per person per month and for other health workers, it is 5 million per person per month.

The Head of Public Relations of the Surabaya City Government, Febriadhitya Prajatara previously said, in 2020, the payment of the health worker incentive was carried out in full according to the highest incentive, but starting in January 2021, the maximum amount of the health worker incentive was paid out at 75 percent.

"So the 75 percent payment (incentive) is in accordance with the study of the Unair FKM (Faculty of Public Health) expert team," said Febri.

In addition, the study is in accordance with the legal basis and the Decree of the Minister of Health Number 01.07/MENKES/4239/2021 and stated in the Decree (SK) of the Mayor of Surabaya Number: 188.45/156/436.1.2/2021. The City Government has also consulted with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Home Affairs, that the provision of incentives depends on the regional budget.