BENGALURU: Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Monday assured staff nurses that his government will consider extending insurance cover under the Jyoti Sanjeevani Scheme (JSS) to those employed under the medical education department as well. Speaking to select staff nurses from government hospitals across the State, as part of his outreach programme for frontline workers, Yediyurappa thanked them for their service during the pandemic, despite all odds.
During the interaction, nurses raised concerns over resources, vaccine shortage, need for counselling owing to continuous exposure to death and loss, better staff and support from the government.
“I interacted with nurses from six to seven districts and lauded their dedication, while putting their lives at risk. I tried to understand the problems they face. Some of them have come back to work after recovering from Covid-19, some are working despite their family members being infected,” Yediyurappa said, adding that he is short of words to thank them.
Currently, 21,574 staff nurses are working in the state, and in a bid to encourage them, a special Covid incentive of Rs 8,000 is being paid along with monthly salary, an official release said.A staff nurse from Raichur Medical College appealed for inclusion of staffers under the medical education department under JSS, so their family members have insurance cover. JSS is a Government of Karnataka insurance scheme that provides cashless service to government employees and their dependents for tertiary medical care, and emergency services related to chronic illnesses, surgery and advanced therapies.
“We will work towards it,” Yediyurappa told Rachoti Varadha, a staff nurse. He also said that the government has received six applications from families of nurses who died while on duty during the pandemic. While three have been processed, the other three will soon receive the Rs 50 lakh insurance payout. Staff nurses have also asked for their family members to be vaccinated on priority basis, since they are in high-risk environments.