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COVID-19: Ogan Ilir regent dismisses 109 medical workers for striking
Ogan Ilir Regent Ilyas Panji Alam has dismissed 109 medical workers at the Ogan Ilir Regional General Hospital (RSUD) in South Sumatra following a strike in which they demanded safety and welfare.
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A doctor gives an explanation about protective gear during a simulation of COVID-19 patient handling at Pertamina Plaju Hospital in Palembang, South Sumatra on March 12. (Antara/Feny Selly)
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meta charset="utf-8">Ogan Ilir Regent Ilyas Panji Alam has dismissed 109 medical workers at the Ogan Ilir Regional General Hospital (RSUD) in South Sumatra for striking over safety and welfare.
The medical workers are reportedly lacking personal protective equipment (PPE), being paid low wages at Rp 750,000 (US$50.24) per month without incentives and not being provided with a place to stay after treating COVID-19 patients.
Ilyas said on Thursday that the administration would immediately recruit their replacements.
"No need to go to work anymore. We are looking for replacements. The 109 have been dishonorably dismissed without disrupting hospital activities," Ilyas said as quoted by kompas.com.
Read also: Bonuses slashed, pay cut: Indonesian nurses fight pandemic, financial hardships
Ilyas argued the strike was baseless as the administration had met most of their demands.
"The incentives are available. We've provided shelter, consisting of 34 air-conditioned rooms with mattresses. We've provided thousands of items of PPE at the Ogan Ilir Regional Hospital. Go check for yourself," said Ilyas.
Of the 109 medical personnel, 14 were specialist doctors, eight general practitioners, 33 civil servant nurses and 11 honorary staff.
He assumed the medical personnel were afraid to treat COVID-19 patients and had been on strike for five days.
"We've provided their demands. They haven't begun working though. Well, they might as well don’t work at all,” he said. (ggq)
