Sir Puka puts low budget as reason for rental delays

By GLENDA AWAKIAK
HEALTH Minister Sir Puka Temu has blamed a low budget for the delay in paying doctors.
Sir Puka was responding to a report in The National about doctors’ rent for their accommodation, health insurance premiums and award payments. The doctors said they might forced to take industrial action from Friday if the issue was not resolved.
Sir Puka said the Health Department was aware of the issues and Health Secretary Pascoe Kase had met Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari to try to sort out the matter.
National Doctors’ Association chairman Dr Sam Yockopua said the government owed them K7 million for their outstanding rental payments for their accommodation, K3 million in health insurance premiums and K5 million in academic awards for doctors lecturing at the University of PNG School of Medicine and Health Science.
“If nothing happens on Friday, we will put that down in black and white and we are giving the Government a seven-day ultimatum to take industrial action,” Yockopua said.
He said the rental bills for the last three to four months had not been paid by the department and the doctors had been served eviction notices by their landlords.
Yockopua said a discussion and resolution was made last Friday between the Office of the Chief Secretary, Finance and Health Department to look into this issue.
The chief secretary directed prompt action to look for money somewhere to have the issues sorted.
Yockopua said the doctors did not receive their health insurance money this year and not even a half payment was made. This is money paid to the doctors annually to meet their health needs.