19 Feb 2025

Ministry of Health and Botswana Nurses Union (BONU) are currently negotiating compensation for nurses on standby duty.

Answering a question in Parliament yesterday, the Minister of Health Dr Steven Modise said permanent and pensionable employees, except former industrial class employees were not compensated for being on standby.

He said nurses and midwives scheduled to be on standby to attend to medical emergencies on rest days were compensated with 30 per cent commuted overtime allowance and a day off following an On Call for normal working days and two days for weekend On Call.

The minister said they also received a paid calculated overtime for any hours worked in access of the 30 per cent of the commuted overtime allowance.

“Further, to note is that other Public Service employees required to provide service on a rest day have to choose between getting an overtime payment for actual hours worked or compensated with paid day off. Only nurses and midwives were currently benefitting from both,” he said.

Dr Modise said plans were underway to engage BONU and other unions to collectively resolve the matter.

Kanye West MP, Mr Victor Phologolo had asked the minister to state if he was aware that nurses and midwives were not paid standby allowances and if there were any plans to pay it. ENDS