Wau Teaching Hospital - courtesy

Hundreds of medics at Wau teaching hospital have gone on strike over incomplete payment of their Covid-19 allowances.

The 440 frontline health workers complained they expected to be paid 200,000 pounds each, but were cashed for far less.

They are doctors, pharmacists, medical laboratory professionals, nurses and midwifery and clinical Officers.

Dr Santino Gai is the striking health workers team leader.

He said, despite several meetings with management of the hospital, nothing has been done about their complaints, prompting the protest.

According to Gai, the strike which started today will last for three days

“We have our demands for the covid-19 allowances, our strike is for three days, if there is no any positive result, the committee will decide on that,” Gai told Eye Radio on Tuesday.

“We want to tell our people that we are not against anybody but the demands are crucial, we only want our allowances as our rights.”

One resident of Wau confirmed the strike to Eye Radio.

John Sabino said his wife took his two-weeks-old baby to the hospital, but found no medical personnel there.

“Today morning, I sent my wife with our small baby of two weeks old because he’s not feeling well, my wife called me and told me that those doctors are on strike,” he said.

“There are no people there and this is the situation in Wau teaching hospital and nothing is working there.”

When contacted on the matter, the medical director of Wau Teaching Hospital has confirmed this to Eye Radio.

“Yes, they have gone on strike this morning because of the Covid-19 allowances, as Medical Director of Wau Teaching Hospital I was in Juba for two months and there was allowances of Covid-19 for the staff and was asked to bring the staff’s list,” said Nixon Anthony Obour.

“We have had this list since last year for the current people who work in the hospital. We took this list to Juba and it was approved and the breakdown happened from there.

“They said those of Juba got more allowances than staff of Wau like doctors in Juba got 200,000 SSP and doctors in Wau got 80,000 SSP.

“They say I am a thief because according to them this money was given to me in Juba more than this one I gave to them. According to them, Doctors are supposed to receive 200,000 SSP and give them 800,000 SSP and I take 120,000 SSP.”