Nine positions within the allied healthcare sector have been granted eligibility for overtime payment for a duration of six months, as announced by the Ministry of Health in a circular distributed to medical superintendents, divisional medical officers, and heads of cost centers. The decision, communicated on Friday, follows approval from the Public Service Commission (PSC) for several roles classified under Band F salary.
The designated positions benefiting from this overtime payment include medical imaging technologists, senior pharmacy technicians, biomedical technical officers, dental technicians, junior physiotherapists, health inspectors, tobacco control enforcement officers, supervising dieticians, and medical laboratory scientists. The effective date for this overtime arrangement is November 7, although it has been noted that the allowance is limited to six months.
Additionally, the circular mentions that a request for an extension of overtime payment for the higher grade technical officer position at Labasa Hospital has not been approved.
Recent concerns have emerged regarding the Ministry of Civil Service’s new overtime policy, which has impacted service delivery in the radiology and pharmacy departments at the CWM. In response, MCS permanent secretary Parmesh Chand indicated that amendments to the policy were made after discussions with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.
This new policy is a significant step towards enhancing workforce motivation and service delivery in the healthcare sector, ensuring that dedicated employees are compensated fairly for their crucial work.
In summary, this development reflects the government’s commitment to addressing workforce challenges within healthcare while also highlighting the importance of ongoing communication between ministries to facilitate effective service delivery. The temporary approval of overtime is a hopeful gesture toward improving conditions for healthcare workers.
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