TOKYO: The Japanese government decided Monday to double the amount of relief payments to doctors and nurses assigned to work at medical hospitals that accept novel coronavirus patients.

The move is aimed at boosting support for medical care systems across the country, which have been increasingly under strain from the resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic.

At a government task force meeting, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga vowed to provide about 15,000 yen per hour for doctors and 5,500 yen for nurses, twice as much as the maximum allowable benefits under the comprehensive emergency assistance program for key medical institutions.

Suga also said the government will provide the coronavirus-responding hospitals with compensation for idle beds for an extended period and outsource cleaning work there so nurses can concentrate on taking care of COVID-19 patients.

Ahead of the meeting, Suga visited the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.

The government also decided the same day to pay extra medical service fees to hospitals when they treat outpatients younger than six years old by taking measures to help staff dodge coronavirus infection.

JIJI Press