Regarding the case of a group of school health workers (HCWs) in Tay Son district (Binh Dinh) who have been unsuccessfully petitioning for their rights for more than ten years as reported by Lao Dong Newspaper, Chairman of Binh Dinh Provincial People's Committee Pham Anh Tuan has directed relevant units and localities to take action.
Accordingly, the Chairman of the People's Committee of Binh Dinh province assigned the Department of Education and Training to preside over and coordinate with the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Finance and relevant agencies and units to check the content of the information reflected by Lao Dong Newspaper through the article "School health workers feel sorry for being abandoned their rights".
Promptly guide the People's Committee of Tay Son district and districts, towns and cities to implement the support regime for health workers according to regulations; report to the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee before October 30, 2024. At the same time, send reports to the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department and the Department of Information and Communications for monitoring and synthesis.
On October 16, Mr. Phan Chi Hung - Chairman of Tay Son District People's Committee - said that tomorrow, the locality will hold a meeting to agree on a solution to pay preferential allowances according to the profession for health workers in the district.
"Tomorrow, the principals of schools under the district's management will report on the payment of allowances to health workers. After that, the district will meet to discuss and decide on the level of allowances and which budget sources will be used to pay for health workers. If payment is made, it will be calculated from January 1, 2024," said Mr. Hung.
On the same day, Mr. Vo Ngoc Khanh - Head of Tay Son District Education and Training Division - said that the Division had reported to the District People's Committee on reviewing the payment of allowances for primary health care workers at 49/50 schools in the district (including 1 school without primary health care workers).
"After checking, out of 49 school units, 5 health workers have contracts, 44 have official payrolls and no school has paid this allowance to health workers," said Mr. Khanh.
According to Mr. Khanh, the Department of Education and Training's viewpoint is to want health workers to enjoy full benefits so that these people can work with peace of mind, because the salary of health workers is very low.
"The most humane thing in the education and training sector is that our brothers are supported with allowances, but for many years this has not been done because of difficulties in implementing the decree.
Tomorrow, the district will summon 50 principals, Head of the Department of Education and Training, Head of the Department of Finance and Head of the District Department of Internal Affairs to a meeting to discuss and agree on which allowances to spend," said Mr. Khanh.
13 years of being neglected
Sending a petition to Lao Dong Newspaper, the collective of medical staff in Tay Son district stated that according to Decree No. 56/2011/ND-CP dated July 4, 2011 of the Government regulating preferential allowances according to profession for civil servants and public employees at public medical facilities, medical staff at schools are entitled to no more than 20% of the current salary scale and grade.
The level of preferential allowances according to profession will be considered and decided by the school principal. The source of funding for implementing the allowance regime is guaranteed by the state budget according to decentralization, the revenue of health facilities from career activities and other legal sources of funding.
The Decree was issued as a practical encouragement for civil servants and public employees at public health facilities nationwide. However, it is different for the collective of health workers in Tay Son district. Over the past 13 years, they have not once enjoyed this legitimate regime, despite having sent many complaints.
