EVD Risk Allowance System Risk Allowance Payment Program for Ebola Response Workers. Sierra Leone Hazard Payments Team 18 May 2015

Transcription

1 EVD Risk Allowance System Risk Allowance Payment Program for Ebola Response Workers Sierra Leone Hazard Payments Team 18 May 2015

2 Key Stakeholders The payment process was originally managed by Ministry of Health and Sanitation but since November 1, 2014 was transferred to the National Ebola Response Center (NERC) UNDP is providing Technical and Financial Support to NERC to develop and maintain the payment system Governance (from January 2015): Steering Committee was formed consisting of NERC, UNDP, UNMEER, WB, AfDB and DFID Fiduciary Agent - BDO

3 Information Management System Open source system: idt Labs, a local software development company, was hired to develop the system The system would be used to electronically update the list The system (nercpay.sl) is hosted on Amazon EC2cloud November to March: Only NERC paid ERWs (23,000 ERWs) March: NERC plus other paying agencies (over 31,000 ERWs)

4 Information Management System System is capable of running duplication check (algorithms) A biometric re-verification was completed (Feb 2015). ERWs have photos in the system. Contracts/ERW ID can be issued from the system; facial recognition tests (for duplication) can be run in the system. Extend the use of the system to other paying partners for effective coordination (e.g. list updating, detection of double dippers).

5 Strengthening existing payment mechanisms The GENESIS September 2014: Hazard pay was introduced through the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) October 2014: Weekly payments could not be delivered on time by MoHS; Ministry of Finance verified MoHS list. November 2014: Payments transferred to NERC with support from Ministry of Finance and UNDP

6 Strengthening existing payment mechanisms Method of Payments by NERC till date: November 2014: Direct CASH payment (bi-weekly) December: Mobile Money through MNOs and Splash Cash was introduced (bi-weekly) January 2015: Mobile Money and Splash Cash (shift to monthly) February and March: Combination of banks and MNOs/Splash (monthly) April: All government staff to be paid through banks (monthly) May: All payments to be made through banks (monthly)

7 Strengthening existing payment mechanisms Key areas of focus: 1. Efficiency Shift from Direct Cash to majority E-Payment for timely delivery List management from MS Excel to automated payroll database (nercpay.sl) Complaints resolution (Help Desk, Hotlines, Complaints resolution processing) 2. Cost effectiveness Shift from Direct Cash (7% expense ratio) to MNOs (5% fee) Shift from MNOs 5% to combination of banks and MNOs (less than 5%) Shift from MNOs and Banks to only banks (free of charges)

8 Strengthening existing payment mechanisms Key areas of focus: 3. Transparency Reporting Grievance mechanism Field monitoring 4. Accountability ERW verification to ensure genuine workers are paid (biometrics) List attestation by heads of medical facilities and district medical officers Financial reconciliations (to be led by Fiduciary Agent) Duplication and investigation/reporting of fraud

9 Payments made to ERWs to date Months ERW Count Amount Paid November Cycle 1 14,239 $ 1.3 Millions cycle 2 15,655 $ 1.8 Millions December Cycle 3 17,106 $ 1.5 Millions Cycle 4 19,581 $ 1.9 Millions January Cycle 5 20,310 $ 4.2 Millions February Cycle 6 23,040 $ 4.1 Millions March Cycle 7 21,922 $ 3.9 Millions April Cycle 8 2,897 $ 0.7 Millions Total $ 19.3 Millions

10 CHALLENGES Information Related List/category of facilities List of approved and verified beneficiaries Categories of workers based on levels of risks Lack of verified startdates to address backlogs on an ongoing basis Infrastructure related Technology Internet connectivity at centers Provision of list updation and verification by relevant authorities Physical Last mile connectivity for payment agents Movement of ERW between health and payment centers Security while moving cash to remote locations Policy and Legal related Events rapidly overrun policy relevance Streamlining operational policies (simplicity and clarity) Regular salary and hazard pay paid through different agencies causing confusion Compliance to government audit requirements in an emergency No control over staff deployments Different response structures in districts.

11 Decentralization of List Management and Help Desk Deployment of district staff for hazard payments to assist District Medical Officers (DMOs) and District Ebola Response Coordinators (DERCs) in updating list. Other Implementing Partners (e.g. MSF) to be given access to the database for real time list updating. District Help Desks to be activated

12 Financial Education 1. Financial education leaflet to be distributed to ERWs 2. Radio communication 3. SMS Key messages: Changes in hazard pay policies and implications to ERWs Security of mobile wallets Planning savings and expenses

13 After completion of Ebola management, the system can be transferred to GoSL for Ebola recovery cash-transfer The system is ideal for future government use as a G2P payment system as: The ERP system captures a wealth of information including: Identity Number: National ID Card or drivers license or employer ID Phone number Bank account details The system is also interfaced with MNOs, Splash Money and Commercial Banks and equipped for direct cash transfers, enabling money transfer through key payment channels The ERP system is cloud based least expensive and fastest to implement. The system is also enabled for SMS based, ODK operations making it easier to operate in remote regions.

14 LESSONS LEARNED Policy needs to be simple and clear; allows streamlined protocols but risks are mitigated and accountability is strong. Technology Infrastructure such as fast internet connectivity should be available at the earliest time possible during emergencies Communication to beneficiaries should be proactive and timely Coordination of Donors through a Steering Committee is effective Recipient identification should be addressed at the early stage of the response (e.g. issuance of IDs) Legal accountability of facility heads on list of workers should be strictly enforced at the outset