Registration for the Health Heroes Plan closes on May 1. 45,000 people will be selected. Priority will be given to personnel directly treating COVID-19 cases, working in the public health system, and having a compromised socioeconomic situation. The selected list will be confidential. The incentive seeks to guarantee health personnel attend the workplace.
One of the main guidelines that the WHO and PAHO gave governments to deal with COVID-19 is to guarantee the protection of the personnel directly treating coronavirus cases. In Venezuela, the daily survey COVID-19 carried out by the office of the President in charge, Juan Guaidó, reported on Wednesday, April 22 that 52.38% of hospital staff did not have masks, 61.90% did not have gloves, and 80.95% did not have disinfecting gel.
On the other hand, one of the main problems that the government in charge has detected since the quarantine was declared is the high number of healthcare employees not showing up for work (about 45%), mainly for two reasons: they do not have fuel or money to get to their workplaces, or they cannot feed their families on their regular wages.
The payment of a $ 100 monthly bonus for three months, which Guaidó offered to health personnel last week, seeks to correct both shortcomings. On the one hand, to give some liquidity to Venezuelan health personnel so that they can provide themselves with the minimum protection by purchasing some bioprotection supplies themselves; and on the other, that doctors, nurses, and hospital personnel can provide for their family and get to their jobs.
Based on official information offered to the press this Wednesday by the technical team that designed the Health Heroes Plan, Crónica Uno answers the main questions that arise regarding this direct incentive offered by Guaidó.
1
Who can register?
All active health personnel working in the public network of hospitals can apply. This includes graduate physicians, graduate nurses, and hospital staff, as long as they are on the front line of COVID-19 cases.
2
Can registration sites be blocked by Conatel?
Initially, the presidency in charge enabled two channels for registration: a WhatsApp number and a Facebook link. However, on Saturday, April 25, the WhatsApp number was blocked and by Monday, April 27, the link on Facebook had also been blocked. Also, on Sunday, April 26, at least two fake registration sites were detected using fishing addresses (http://heroesdesaludve.co and heroesdelasaludve.info). In response, the next day the technical team enabled a new and unique registration channel through the Telegram application identified with the user @HeroesDeLaSaludVEBot (https: //t.me.heroesdelasaludvebot). The site to which users are redirected was immediately blocked for Venezuela, but can be accessed by running a VPN.
3
Can medical students, volunteers, integral community doctors, and retirees apply?
Graduate doctors, including residents of different specialties and integral community doctors, who are part of the front line of care in the public health network, can apply to receive the $ 100 bonus. Medical undergraduate students, volunteers, or retirees and pensioners from the health sector cannot apply.
4
When does the registration process close and how many people will be selected?
The registration process began on Wednesday, April 22, and closes on Friday, May 1. However, the technical staff does not rule out that an additional extension can be opened if necessary. 45,000 people will be selected, who will be contacted in due course to participate in the direct transfer platform.
5
Who will be selected? Will Partisan Affiliation matter?
Once the registration of applicants is closed, a data verification phase begins (10 to 15 days) with the participation of union and workers representatives, to determine the veracity of the information provided. A scale will be applied to measure the eligibility of applicants, assessing that they own a professional degree, work in a public hospital, and their socioeconomic situation is vulnerable. The partisan affiliation will not be a factor in choosing or rejecting anyone.
6
How do they guarantee that the candidates and those selected will not be politically persecuted or dismissed from their positions?
The technical staff who worked on the design of the Health Heroes Plan explained that the information provided by the applicants is protected by digital codes and that the presidency in charge will not make public the list of beneficiaries. On the contrary, all the data will be kept protected.
7
What information must I provide to register?
The registration system requests personal, professional, and work information. Personal information consists of name, surname, and photo ID, passport, or driver’s license; home and mail address and contact telephone number, among others. Professional information refers to data such as profession, university degree, specialization, etc. And the work information refers to the workplace: address, hours per week, and a certification of work such as a work ID, a payment receipt or a letter from the employer. The system allows uploading images of the documents.
8
Once I register does it mean I have already been accepted?
No. After the registration phase, the technical team begins the information verification phase. Once that process is completed and based on a scale, the system will release the names of the 45,000 selected applicants. In the case of doubts or missing documents, the verification team will contact the person.
9
Will the scale determine that some applicants receive less than $ 100 and others receive the full $ 100 bonus?
No. All those selected, regardless of the task they perform on the COVID-19 front, will receive $ 100.
10
If Guaidó does not manage the budget of the Republic, where is he going to get the funds to pay this bonus?
Both the presidency in charge and the National Assembly have claimed in public statements that the funds come from a fraction of the Republic’s accounts protected in the United States. In total, 342 million dollars belonging to Venezuela are currently blocked by the US Asset Protection Office (OFAC). Of that amount, the National Assembly has requested the United States to unlock 80 million dollars to feed the Fund for the Liberation of Venezuela, created in February. Of that fund, 35 million were earmarked for healthcare. The money for the Health Heroes Plan (100 dollars to 45,000 health workers for three months) reaches a sum of 13.5 million dollars that will come out of the 35 million indicated above.
11
How will the direct allocation of $ 100 work?
The Organization of American States (OAS) and the government in charge are currently drafting a Technical Cooperation Agreement through which OFAC will transfer all the money from the Fund for the Liberation of Venezuela to the OAS and it will administer it – with the authorization of the National Assembly – for different areas: national security, AN operation, healthcare, foreign service operation, etc. In the case of the Health Heroes Plan, the OAS will decide which electronic platform will be used to directly transfer the $ 100 to each of the selected individuals. Each person will then have the freedom to change them to bolivars or pay in dollars via digital apps, depending on their choice.
12
When will the deposit of the $ 100 bonus to the selected individuals begin ?
Two processes must be carried out in parallel to start direct deposit. On the one hand, the process of registration, verification, and selection of beneficiaries. On the other, the signing of the agreement with the OAS, the approval of that agreement by Parliament, the unlocking of funds by OFAC, and the transfer of money to OAS accounts. The technical team estimates that by the end of May the transfer process to the beneficiaries could begin.
