COVID-19: Health care workers to enjoy tax exemptions for 3 months

Health care workers in the frontline of the Coronavrius fight will not pay tax for the next three months, President Akufo-Addo has announced.

An insurance package of GH¢350,000 for each health personnel and allied professional at the forefront of the fight has also been put in place, while a daily allowance of GH¢150 is being paid to contact tracers.

Announcing the package in a nationwide broadcast on Sunday evening, President Akufo-Addo said frontline health workers would receive an additional allowance of 50 per cent of their basic salary per month for the months of March, April, May and June.

He said the March allowance would be paid alongside that of April.

The President also announced that the Ministry of Transport had made available free ‘Aayalolo’ buses to convey health workers in Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Kasoa to and from work, along specific routes, for the entire duration of the restrictions.

PPEs

On personal protective equipment (PPEs), President Akufo-Addo said 350,000 masks, 558,650 examination gloves, 1,000 reusable goggles and 20,000 cover-alls had been procured and sent for onward distribution.

He added that 7,000 N-95 respirators, 500 waterproof gumboots, 2,000 reusable face shields, 2,000 gallons of hand sanitizers, 10,000 100ml pieces of hand sanitizers, and 500 shoe covers have been sent to the regional health directorates, for onward distribution to the district health directorates for use by our health workers in all the districts.

"The Minister for Health is ensuring that they reach the health workers. This, notwithstanding, Government is aware that more needs to be done, especially in the face of the global shortage of PPEs," he said.

President Akufo-Addo also noted that government had engaged local manufacturing companies to assist in the domestic production of PPEs and that domestic production of face masks, head covers, surgical scrubs and gowns would commence from Tuesday.

"For example, three million, six hundred thousand face masks will be produced domestically, with an output of 150,000 per day," he said.