Risk allowance for doctors, medics approved

Health workers doing their duties during the coronavirus pandemic will finally receive a monthly health risk allowance, according to a notification issued by the Sindh government on July 9. They will be paid according to their levels of basic pay scale structure: BPS 1 to 16 Rs17,000, BPS 17 and above Rs35,000. Postgraduate students Rs15,000, house job officers Rs10,000, nursing students Rs5,500. This will apply from July 1 till the end of the coronavirus pandemic. A summary of the allowance recommendations was sent to Sindh CM by the health department in June. It was approved on Thursday. In April, the Sindh government had deducted 10% from the salaries of doctors, paramedics and supporting staff for the provincial Coronavirus Emergency Fund. The decision was reversed in May after many protests of various doctors’ associations.