Monrovia – The Ministry of Health says its attention has been drawn to repeated media reports quoting a man claiming to be spokesperson of Healthcare Workers, George Poe Williams, alleging salary cuts.
According to the Ministry, Mr. Williams, who appears idle in a society where even the kids are contemplating doing something positive with their lives, appeared in a number of local dailies and radio stations with the what the Ministry termed as maliciously spreading a campaign of lies and falsehood that the ministry deducted 50 percent incentives in May and 70 percent incentives in June.
He also alleged that government run hospitals were short of essential drugs and medical supplies.
The Health Ministry stated that Mr. Williams woefully and shamelessly claimed that the deduction stared since February 2016.
The ministry in a statement signed by Sorbor George, Director of Communications indicated that it’s reaction is not basically to respond to an idle man spreading lies, but to principally feed the citizens and healthcare workers with the facts so that they are not derailed by the likes of Mr. Williams whom the Ministry said does not want to see the progress of Liberia.
“We are aware of the intent of Mr. Williams and his cohorts. They are aimed to viciously put a dent on the image of this administration, destabilize the health sector, incite disorder and put our patients or people at risk if there is any strike or demonstration that could generate as a result of their actions”, the Health Ministry statement added.
The statement continued “We first want to clarify that at no time the Ministry of Health ever affected a cut or reduction in the salaries of healthcare workers as claimed by those malicious campaigners”.
The ministry declared that it acknowledges the sacrifices and passion of healthcare workers and could never effectuate such a wicked thinking.
“It is the ministry understanding that whatever cut or reduction in not only the salaries of healthcare workers but across the entire government, is a result of an oversight in calculation by the Ministry of Finance which the latter has expressed regrets for the inconvenience and faithfully promised to rectify soon”, the statement furthered.
On the issue of CT scan not being available at the Jackson Doe Hospital, the Health Ministry said there is a major effort underway to procure a new one. Initially, the administration at the hospital identified an old one which it suggested should be purchased.
However, the Ministry noted that partners decided that a new one is procure because the old one could cost almost the same amount as the new CT scan.
Relative to the lack of essential drugs, the Ministry stated that as a ministry it continue to do everything to ensure regular supply of drugs and medical supplies at government’s run hospital.
The Ministry intimated “We had highly anticipated that Mr. Williams would be more informed, considering his age but chose to disappoint not only his followers but the unborn by speaking loudly about what he does not know”.
The Health Ministry statement concluded: “As a ministry, we want to urge Mr. Williams to begin finding a way that he could contribute his quota to nation building on a platform of being a respectable and meaningful figure in society than being bent on maligning good individuals and the image of an administration striving to better the lives of our people”.
