Ministry of Finance has revealed over USD 13 million has been disbursed as the allowance for individuals active in the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Maldives.
The finance ministry revealed USD 13.9 million was disbursed as the frontline allowance to 14,020 frontline workers as of December 15. USD 12.5 million has been disbursed as an allowance to 13,105 frontline workers as of November 1, according to statistics released by the finance ministry.
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.