The Covid-19 frontline workers in The Gambia are currently embarking on a sit down strike since Friday due to unpaid allowances.

All the units including the laboratory which collects and tests samples of suspected individuals of the virus, response team and quarantine centers, have been temporarily shut down.

Speaking on Wednesday during a press conference, the spokesperson of the Covid-19 Rapid Response Team Fatou Jah, called on the government to meet their demands in order to effectively execute their job. Their demands  include allowances, health insurance for frontline responders, feeding, accommodation amongst others.

“We have tried on several occasions to dialogue with top senior management of the Health Ministry with a view to channel our challenges: to the top management in order to have a successful and efficient service delivery but to no avail as the situation remains the same,” Ms. Jah said in a press release she read on behalf of the team.

“We want our demands to be met so that we can continue on the COVID-19 response,” she said.

Fatou Jah further emphasized that, if they don’t receive any feedback from the ministry of health, they would call on another meeting where a decision would be taken on their next move as far as Covid-19 response activities are concerned.

The chairman of the frontline workers Musa Nget, expressed a similar comment  saying, “It’s difficult to stay for 24 hours on duties without having something to eat and to the extent that you have to buy your own sugar to sip tea.

Even with this it doesn’t stop us from doing our job effectively due to the love of the country and to make sure everyone is protected. However, my health comes first before any other person.”

 

By: Fatoumatta Samateh