The Surgical Ward in the Vila Central Hospital. 23 December 2024 Photo: RNZ Pacific / Koroi Hawkins
Staff at the main hospital in Vanuatu's capital Port Vila have returned to work following a spat with the Public Service Commission (PSC).
More than 300 workers took the action on Wednesday after the PSC failed to approve their increased earthquake risk allowance, nearly a year after the devastating earthquake in which more than a dozen people died.
The walkout left disrupted essential services and left patients unattended at the Vanuatu National Hospital, according to local media reports.
Buzz FM's Kizzy Kalsakau told RNZ Pacific that the staff were seeking an increase to match rates other government ministries, and the delay in processing the payments prompted the action.
"The workers were demanding that their allowance be increased from VT$27,000 (approx. NZ$408) payment to match the rate of VT$300,000 (approx. NZ$4500) of other government ministries," she said.
The walkout left disrupted essential services and left patients unattended at the Vanuatu National Hospital, according to local media reports. (file image) Photo: RNZI / Koroi Hawkins
An urgent meeting between Prime Minister Jotham Napat, officials from the Ministry of Health and the PSC, the Governments Remuneration Tribunal, along with hospital staff representatives took place on Thursday to restore services.
Kalsakau said a spokesperson for the hospital staff told the prime minister at the meeting that staff would return to work after receiving assurances that all allowances would be paid by the end of this this week.
The Finance Department's acting director general had told the meeting that over VT$90 million (approx. NZ$1.3m) has been allocated under the Ministry of Finance budget, following a Council of Ministers decision earlier this week.
Napat said the delays had affected the essential health services in Vanuatu and are unacceptable. He then instructed the PSC to act more proactively in the future.
Kalsakau said that staff may resume the stand-down if all their payments are not received by 5:30pm Friday local time.
On Wednesday, 17 December, the country will makr the one-year anniversary of the 2024 earthquake. Fourteen people died in the disaster, while 265 others were injured.
Extensive damage occurred in Port Vila and surrounding areas. The earthquake also generated a 25cm tsunami.
