Ministry of Finance has revealed USD 11.5 million has been disbursed as an allowance for individuals active in the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Maldives.
The finance ministry revealed USD 11.5 million has been disbursed as an allowance to 13,052 frontline workers as of September 30. The statistics from the finance ministry show this is an increase compared to the USD 11 million disbursed to 12,731 frontline workers recorded on July 28.
A frontline allowance was introduced to recognise the efforts of frontline workers active amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The allowance is given after classifying frontline workers into high-risk, medium-risk, and low-risk categories.
Frontline workers in the high-risk category receive USD 32 per day and include doctors, nurses, lab technicians, and health workers who are in contact with COVID-19 patients. Medium risk workers receive USD 16 per day and are categorised as health workers who work with high-risk frontline workers. Low-risk workers receive USD 13 per day and are categorised as health workers who are not in contact with high-risk workers or COVID-19 patients but participate in COVID-19-related operations for over six hours a day.