The Southeastern Health Workers Association of Liberia (SHWAL) has gone on strike again since midweek, protesting against salary disparity and deduction, and the alleged failure of health authorities to replace deleted ‘ghost names’, but Health Ministry says it shall respond to the protest in due course.
The Association’s Secretary General, John Neuville, told the local media in Barclayville, Grand Kru County, that for some time now they have brought this to the attention of the Health Ministry but until now, there has been no remedy.
He said health workers in the southeast are facing numerous challenges but the government has so far refused to address those needs for the smooth running of health posts, which prompted their walkout last year, before returning to work after the Health and Finance and Development Planning Ministries intervened.
Neuville claimed that there are major deductions and unfair disparities in their monthly salaries plus health authorities have obviously refused to replace ghost names deleted on the payroll of various health institutions, including clinics and hospitals in the region.
He, however, stopped short to state the amount that is being deducted monthly as per each nurse’s earnings.
The workers’ strike action has put many clinics and hospital attendants at risk, because in the absence of healthcare workers, those seeking treatment could be turned away.
Taxes may differ across sectors and locations, so it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.
But in this sector, salaries have been determined to be as follows: Acute Care Nurse, L$67, 500; Assistant Director of Nursing, L$108, 000; Case Manager, L$81, 300; Company Nurse, L$45, 500, and Critical Care Nurse, L$68, 000.
A person working in nursing in the country typically earns around L$69,300. Salaries range from L$44,500 (lowest average) to L$134, 000 (highest average).
These are average salaries for a registered nurse in the country and they include benefits such as housing and transport.
