New York unveils incentives for workers in West Africa Ebola fight

[October 31, 2014]  By Ellen Wulfhorst

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York officials on Thursday announced a program to encourage healthcare professionals to work in Ebola-hit West Africa, an effort to deflect criticism that the state's mandatory quarantine could hamper the battle against the disease.

The program will provide financial incentives and employment protections similar to the benefits and rights provided to military reservists, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a joint statement.

The 21-day mandatory quarantines instituted by New York and New Jersey for health workers returning from countries with Ebola epidemics have sparked criticism that the measures would discourage doctors and nurses from traveling to West Africa.

“We believe that public health in West Africa and the public health in New York are interconnected and both must be addressed,” Cuomo said in the statement.

Key to containing Ebola is "encouraging and incentivizing medical personnel to go to West Africa," he said.

Under the New York program, health workers who go to West Africa will have their pay, healthcare and employment status continued while they are away.

Also, they will be provided financial reimbursement if they are placed in quarantine upon their return.

Cuomo first mentioned such an incentive program at a news conference on Sunday when he was seeking to quell perceptions that the quarantine policy was unduly harsh and said quarantines could be served at home.

In support of the incentive program, New York City Health Commissioner Mary Bassett said in the statement that doctors treating Ebola patients in West Africa "are performing a service for us all by tackling the epidemic at its source."

"We should do everything we can to honor these heroes," she said.

New York City and New York state are coordinating the program with New Jersey; the Greater New York Hospital Association, which represents some 250 area hospitals; Local 1199 of the Service Employees International Union of healthcare workers; the New York State Nurses Association; and the Medical Society of the State of New York, an organization of about 30,000 physicians, medical residents and medical students.

(Reporting by Ellen Wulfhorst; Editing by Eric Beech)

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