- According to the national authorities, just over 161,000 workers throughout the country received this bonus.
- It was delivered to all frontline elements involved in direct care of infected patients.
- After two years, several elements have denounced that they have begun to deduct the amount of their bonus.
The medical personnel of our country have faced quite complicated moments for just over two years. In most cases there was a total transformation in their work routine due to the pandemic. For this reason the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) established the Covid Bonus as a retribution for all those who risked their lives.
Amount and term of payment
Based on the authorities, this benefit it consisted of a payment of up to 20 percent of each worker’s bonus. It was delivered to the elements of the first line of care who were in direct contact with Covid-19 patients. While it remained in force as of March 16, 2020.
This bonus was given to the staff of one of the 184 medical units and complementary services that Social Security designated to provide medical care to patients with the SARS-Cov-2 virus.
Who received the IMSS Covid Bonus?
This benefit was aimed at doctors, nurses, inhalation therapists, laboratory technicians, chemists, radiology technicians, stretcher bearers, cleaning, hygiene, ambulance and pharmacy personnel. Also to food handlers, medical assistants, social workers, stomatologists, histo/cytotechnologists, and all those job categories that participated in the direct care of infected patients.
But two years after the start of this program, a serious problem has now been revealed. Based on a report published in the newspaper Reforma now several IMSS doctors denounce that they want to collect their Covid Bonus.
The investigation mentions that there are at least 300 workers who received the bonus between 2020 and 2021. At that time, everything was as promised and there were no problems.
Everything changed during the first quarter of this 2022 when they discovered in their receipts a discount for exactly the same amount that they received fortnightly as support in the pandemic.
For their part, in some cases the situation has been even worse because the discount they have received is higher than the payment they received during the critical moment of the pandemic. One of the testimonies states that last year an additional bonus was deposited that never exceeded 1,500 pesos fortnightly. While now he has suffered a reduction of up to 3,800 pesos in his payment.
“It’s unfair. They gave some of us for almost a year because of the risk and suddenly like that, all of a sudden, they began to take us away (…). The government gave it… and then it takes it away,” reproached a nurse. #Sign up free https://t.co/LEFgUjEdDO
— CITY (@reformacity) June 10, 2022
Despite the complaints, the IMSS authorities have not published an official statement regarding this situation related to the Covid Bonus. Therefore, the real reason why health workers have been discounted is unknown.
While all the affected elements have pointed out that it is an unfair situation. From the beginning it was said that this bonus would be additional to his salary as compensation for putting his life at risk. In all cases they risked contagion and in fact many did become infected and even died.