Health Ministry to resolve payment issues for vaccination blitz nurses this week

 

The Ministry of Health says by the end of this week, it expects to resolve issues which have hampered payment to some nurses who carried out duties in the COVID-19 vaccination blitz.

 

Nurses Association of Jamaica president Patsy Edwards-Henry told Radio Jamaica News the workers were promised an incentive in April.

 

However, she said some nurses have received no payment, while others have received a portion.

 

In an interview with Radio Jamaica News on Monday morning, Dunstan Bryan, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, explained that the interrupted payments were caused by several factors, including issues with the ministry's system and persons' banking information. But he insisted that all the issues will be resolved by this week. 

 

Mr. Bryan said the challenges were communicated to the affected nurses.

 

                                                                             

 

In the meantime, Mr. Bryan said vaccination blitzes to administer second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will be held across the island on weekends during this month.

 

The first blitz was held at the National Arena on Saturday.

 

Mr. Bryan said the other blitzes will cover those persons who were first inoculated in April.

 

"The rule of thumb is to return to the vaccination site that you received your first dose to receive your second dose," he explained. 

 

Persons will be contacted via text message or telephone calls with details on the time and venue for their vaccination.