The Samoa Cabinet has approved a total of $8.4 million tālā to finance overtime allowance for doctors and nurses, including a new base salary which formalizes the National Health Services–Ministry of Health merger which started in 2018.
Samoa Observer reports that the new revised base salary and allowance offer comes at the back of a two-week standoff between the Public Service Commission and the Samoa Medical Association, over changes to medical practitioners’ salary and allowance.
A Cabinet Directive, dated 7 July 2023, approved as a matter of urgency a total of $7,349,446 tālā allocation from the 2023-2024 financial year to fund overtime claims for permanent staff, doctors, and nurses of the Ministry.
It also approved an additional $1.08 million tālā payment for responsibility allowance for contracted staff as they are not entitled to overtime, which will come from the 2023-2024 financial year pending negotiations on transfer of funds in December 2023.
The Government entities involved including the Public Service Commission, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance have been asked to carry out contract variations to reflect the changes on base salary and entitlement pursuant to the P.S.C. Act and Government policies.
