The Finance Ministry has reduced the night-shift duty allowance paid to technical staff in the health sector, including doctors, nurses and laboratory technicians.
The change, brought to the National Pay Framework, has caused serious concern among employees working in the health sector.
Changes to the allowance
| Shift hours | Previous allowance (from May 2023) | New allowance (from August 2026) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midnight to 6:00 am | MVR 100 | MVR 60 | Down MVR 40 |
| 6:00 am to midnight | MVR 40 | MVR 40 | No change |
When health sector salaries were raised in May 2023, staff were paid an allowance of MVR 100 for work done between midnight and 6:00 am. With an amendment to the pay framework last August, that allowance has been reduced to MVR 60. Following the change, salaries for September were paid under the reduced allowance.
Doctors and nurses working in the health sector have been voicing their dissatisfaction over the change. Among the main concerns they have raised are:
- Although fewer staff work on night shifts, the number of patients attending hospitals during those hours is not small, and given the amount of work required, even MVR 100 was too low.
- Due to shortages of doctors and nurses at some hospitals, staff have to report for duty even on their day off after working six days a week.
- While overtime allowances for civil servants are being cut on the grounds that there is no budget, promises to hire more staff and doctors for the health sector have not been fulfilled.
Leave a reaction