The Chief of Compensation and Wage Studies at Civil Service Bureau (CSB) Yousif Ahmed Mohammed told a Press conference on Tuesday that the government values nurses and the delay in implementing the package was only to negotiate for the best.
The new structure will ensure better pay, career progression chances and bonuses as well as increase the uniform allowance and offer laundry services for all nurses.
He said that the new package would benefit all public nurses working in state-run hospitals and health centres. "We consider the high cost of living, hard work of the nurses and their importance to the enhancement of medical services while putting together the cadre."
Chief of Nursing Services at the Ministry of Health Ayesha Yousif Al Qaisi defended the delay and said that the nurses would be continuously informed about the progress of the proposal. She said that the new offer would be appreciated by all nurses and hoped that it would be approved by the cabinet soon.
"There are a total of 3,197 nurses including 600 from primary healthcare. The Bahrainistion in the nursing sector is presently 64 per cent. We also have plans to increase the manpower annually by recruiting 200 nurses to solve the shortage of staff," Al Qaisi said.
She highlighted that from 2001 to 2003 a total of 2,219 nurses benefited from salary increment.
The strike that was supposed to take place last Thursday was called for by the president of Bahrain Nursing Society, Rula A. Safar but it was cancelled because the Ministry of Health questioned the legality of the society for not electing a new board despite the end of the four-year election term.
The society’s demand of better pay was supported by Bahrain Medical Society and the Bahrain General Federation for Trade Unions.
