Pay dispute hits Mimika health centre services

Hundreds of medical workers from 12 community health centres.in Mimika regency in Papua province rallied at the local government health office over a pay dispute. They demanded the office head, Erens Meokbun, raise the issue with the Mimika regent. According to The Jakarta Post, the protesters said a new salary scheme issued by the regency administration, requiring district administrations to pay the salaries of community health centres.staff, was unfair and overly complicated. They also said they had not been informed of the new policy prior to its issuance. "We went on strike in protest of the government's arbitrary issuance of this policy," said rally coordinator Ibrahim Iba.

The healthcare workers had previously been paid by the health office but Health head Meokbun said the new policy was in response to residents in remote areas complaining that medical workers were often not on duty at the community health centres.