Risk bonus for Bahrain's frontline workers wins full support

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A ‘Risk bonus’ for Bahrain’s Covid-19 frontline workers was approved unanimously by MPs yesterday.

Health professionals and Civil Defence officers will all receive the payments backdated from February 2020.

Parliamentarians added that the monthly risk allowance should continue until the end of the pandemic.

“We have to reward everyone who has made sacrifices for the welfare of the nation during these exceptional circumstances,” said Abdulla Al Dossary who spearheaded the proposal along with four other MPs.

Parliament first vice-chairman Abdulnabi Salman requested that the proposal be amended to include volunteers but Parliament Speaker Fouzia Zainal said the proposal was only for registered workers on the payroll.

However, she suggested that a separate proposal could be submitted for payouts to volunteers.

Hospital

Meanwhile, the lower chamber of the National Assembly during its weekly session yesterday also unanimously approved a proposal to prioritise the employment of the Covid-19 volunteer medical workforce at the planned Contagious Diseases Hospital.

“This proposal will encourage volunteerism and collaboration between the community and the healthcare sector, while also reducing unemployment among medical graduates,” said Dr Abdulla Al Thawadi who spearheaded the proposal with four other MPs.

The Health Ministry had said earlier that hiring Bahrainis was a priority but it will depend on openings and specialists required.

Meanwhile, MPs also unanimously approved proposals to develop a mechanism to promote agricultural practices and aquaponics/hydroponics in Bahrain, the creation of a government committee to review international treaties and agreements Bahrain has joined and signed, and the construction of a comprehensive health centre in the new East Sitra Town.

All the five proposals have now been referred to the Cabinet for review.

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