Nurses in Solomon Islands are threatening strike action if the government fails to pay their outstanding allowances this week.
The outpatients area at the National Referral Hospital in Honiara, Solomon Islands. Photo: RNZ/Pacific Koroi Hawkins
The Solomon Business Magazine reports the national nurses association saying 500 of its members working in the capital Honiara, which is a declared Covid-19 emergency zone, will go on strike from Friday if their demands are not met.
The general secretary of the association Steve Maitani told the magazine the government had made a commitment to pay nurses allowances for working on the frontline, in the main national referral hospital and within the Honiara emergency zone during the pandemic.
Maitani said none of the allowances have been paid.
"We have agreed to go on a peaceful sit in protest as of Friday. Our nurses will withdraw their services and patients will only be looked after by the doctors," Steve Maitani told Solomons Business Magazine.
Maitani said the protest will continue until the government agrees to set a date for payment of the outstanding allowances.
Solomon Islands has so far recorded 8 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in managed quarantine four which are currently active cases.
All of those who have tested positive so far are repatriated Solomon Islands citizens.
