By Georgina Maka’a

UP to 141 newly registered nurses who passed out today in a ceremony say the Government still owe them a total of $2.74 million in unpaid allowances.

One of the nurses, Fatima Raeni, highlighted this in her speech during the ceremony, calling on the Ministry of Health and Medical Services to expediate the payment.

In-depth Solomons understands that during their three-year nursing course, the nurses are required to do five blocks of practical as part of their assessments.

According to the nurses, each probation nurse is entitled to an allowance of $6,500 per block.

_{Commissioned Register Nurses taking their oath of allegiance}

While the ministry has met allowances for two blocks, allowances for three other blocks amounting to $2.74 million for the 141 registered nurses remain outstanding.

Raeni told today’s ceremony that the biggest challenge they faced while doing their Supervised Practice Program (SPP) was the continuous delay of their allowances.

“We suffered a lot due to the delay in payment of our allowances,” she stated.

“As I speak, allowances for three blocks are yet to be paid.

“We were informed that the funding will come from DFAT support; hence, whatever the source, we badly need the allowances to be paid to us so that we can clear the debts that we incurred during our practicals.”

Under the SPP, probation nurses were required to complete five blocks of training and were scheduled to receive allowances after the completion of each eight-week block.

While the new nurses wait for their outstanding payments to be paid, Supervising Deputy Secretary Corporate & Director of Policy and Planning in the Ministry of Health and Medical Services Ivan Ghemu reminded them that their role to serve people is “very important”.

He reminded the nurses that they are the backbone of the country’s health service.

Ghemu challenged the newly registered nurses to be “servants of the people of this country”.

“To serve means to be available at whatever time you are called and when the need arises,” Ghemu stated.

“It means to be steadfast, with the unwavering commitment during the period of the SPP,” he reminded the nurses.

SPP is a program sponsored by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs through the Ministry of Health and Medical Services since 2016.

Today’s commissioning ceremony was held at the Wesly United Church in Honiara.