Madam Speaker, according to International Labour Organisation, overtime is generally defined as working time performed in excess of the normal statutory working hours during a day or a week. Madam Speaker, insofar as my Ministry is concerned, the question of overtime is directly associated to the fact that there is an obligation to ensure continuity of Health Services for the population on a 24-hour basis. This includes round-the-clock hospital care services, extended service hours that Community Health Centres and Area Health Centres and the delivery of new and specialised services such as diabetic foot care, renal transplant follow-up including dialysis, cardiac care and geriatric services. In addition, there is a chronic shortage of staff at the level for the various reasons such as attrition, retirement, migration of skilled personnel and the dearth of qualified professionals in several specialised fields. To ensure continuity of services with the population, my Ministry often has no other alternative than to have recourse to overtime work. Moreover, in view of its mandate, my Ministry is required to carry out urgent and sustained field interventions, often, beyond normal working hours in order to ensure timely and effective response to public health emergencies which inevitably results in overtime costs. Madam Speaker, following my assumption of office, I took note that there were several outstanding bills amounting to more than Rs2.2 billion including – 1. COVID-19 vaccines: Rs575 million; 2. Medical disposables: Rs440 million; 3. Overseas treatment: Rs500 million; 4. Provision and Stores: Rs148 million; 5. Cleaning services of premises, Rs95 million; 6. Maintenance of plant and equipment, Rs70 million; 7. Fuel and oil, Rs47 million, and 8. Overtime allowances which were about Rs688 million. However, further investigations carried out at the level of my Ministry and have institutions have revealed that the figures can be far higher. In fact, in many cases, claims have not been settled since as far back as 2015. In some cases, for example, for claims from overseas hospitals, appropriate records are also not available making settlement of claims extremely difficult. I am also informed that many officers who had worked overtime did not submit claims as payment were not being made. Hence, the exact amount outstanding is still unknown. The House may wish to recall but an amount of Rs500 million was voted through Estimates of Supplementary Expenditure in April 2025 to cater for additional expenses relating to overtime. However, these funds were not sufficient to cover all the outstanding claims. Madam Speaker, in my reply to Private Notice Question on New Cancer Hospital, on 08 April 2025, I had informed the House that my Ministry has inherited a debt burden of Rs2.2 billion from the previous government. Again, in my intervention on Budget Speech 25 June 2025, I had emphasised that healthcare workers of various grades had not been paid duly earned overtime for several months or even years. Madam Speaker, I am informed that presently, there is an outstanding amount of some Rs532 million in respect of overtime allowances relating mainly to hospitals services, clinical care, field public health operations, ambulance and transport services, laboratory and imaging services, health surveillance activities, maintenance and general services as well administrative and support services across regional health institutions and specialised units of the Ministry. For instance, outstanding overtime payable to the staff of my Ministry – (i) medical staff – Rs80.6 million; (ii) attendant hospital services – Rs24.5 million; (iii) nurses – Rs5.5 million. Madam Speaker, with regard to part (a) of the question, the grades concerned cover the following categories – (a) Ambulance staff including ambulance attendants and ambulance drivers; (b) Hospital services staff including attendant/senior attendant, ward assistant, laundry, linen room and mortuary staff; (c) Nursing staff and healthcare assistants; (d) Medical staff, including Medical and Senior Medical Health Officers, and Community Physicians; (e) Health Surveillance and field public health staff including Insecticide Sprayers, Rodents Control Attendant, Field Supervisors, and Health Surveillance Officers; (f) Drivers, Lorry Loaders and transport facilitation staff; (g) Health Records, Laboratory, Imaging and technical support staff; (h) Catering, Maintenance, Trades and General Service staff, and (i) Support and administrative staff, General Services, Finance, Procurement and Human Resources Section. I also wish to point out that my Ministry continue to receive additional claims for overtime performed during previous years which have not yet been submitted nor consolidated. Madam Speaker, I am further informed that over the past 3 years, overtime expenditure has remained consistently high due to the operational demands placed on the health sector. Madam Speaker as regard part (b) of the question, I wish to inform the House that the claims for overtime are being paid and will continue to be paid as and when savings can be identified within the current financial year. In addition, my Ministry is working closely with the Ministry of Finance for reallocation of funds from savings under other estimates. Thank you.

Thank you. Yes, hon. Dr. Prayag? Are you happy?

Thank you, Madam Speaker. It is difficult to be happy. I wish to thank the hon. Minister for this explicit answer which also replies to the…

Come with your question.

No, it is the same question of the hon. Member from Rodrigues also. In view of the growing financial strain being experienced by healthcare workers, their families, difficulties in meeting their educational needs, their household needs, their health needs, I feel that healthcare workers are being penalised in this situation and we agree that it is because of the previous regime…

Please! Hon. Dr., please come with a question.

Is the hon. Minister envisaging any expedited or special mechanism through the Ministry of Finance to ensure prompt settlement of these outstanding overtime allowances?

I have made it very clear in one sentence. He has never been a Minister, if he had been so, he would have known. A Minister has got only one power, that we make a request to the Ministry of Finance for the reallocation of funds. It means if funds which are available in other departments have not been utilised, I make a request to the Ministry of Finance to allow us to use that money in order to pay whatever we owe to those people.

But his role is to keep you all on your toes!

Right, Madam Speaker!

Right!

I thank him for that.

(Interruptions)

Yes, hon. François?

Hon. Minister, does the quantum you just mentioned include the Rs25 million backlog of payment at the Commission for Health in Rodrigues with an accumulation of around Rs20 million monthly? Or, it is just separate; it is not included?

No, no. You see, I have given a global picture. At the same time, I have3 categorised all the different groups where we are owing. That is all.

Yes, alright.

Including Rodrigues?

Rodrigues as well.

Another question! Another question!

Is the hon. Minister aware that there are staff who have passed away while waiting for their overtime and now their relatives are looking for these salaries?

I hope this burden will not be put upon us. We are doing our duty without fear or favour and we are doing it for the welfare of each and everybody. So, this must be very much clear and those who have looted the country, those who have bled the country white must be held responsible for that.

Okay, I think we have gone through this question. Now, let us ask hon. Ms Henriette-Manan!

(Interruptions)

Hon. Ms Henriette-Manan is going to speak, please! RODRIGUES – LABOUR DISPUTES – EMPLOYERS DOMICILED IN MAURITIUS – LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS