BHUBANESWAR: Hit by the dearth of health care professionals in the public hospitals, Odisha Government on Wednesday announced to engage doctors and paramedical staff to deal with the impending crisis that may crop up due to sudden spike in COVID-19 cases.
As per a notification issued by the Health and Family Welfare department, qualified specialists, medical graduates, staff nurses and other paramedics, including the retired professionals will be deployed at various Government hospitals on short term contract basis for a period of three months from April 1.
A senior health official said 7958 staff nurses, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, radiographers, health workers (male and female) doctors as per the requirement will be recruited for the three-month period to augment the health workforce in the State.
"They will be engaged on walk-in-interview model by the Superintendents of Medical College Hospitals and Chief District Medical and Public Health Officers (CDM&PHOs) of the districts. The engagement is purely temporary and will be given till June 30. It can be terminated at any point of time without assigning any reason and extended further if required," he said.
As many as 2432 staff nurses, 727 pharmacists, 610 laboratory technicians, 290 radiographers, 1735 male health workers and 2163 female health workers will be recruited. The CDM&PHOs have been asked to engage doctors on the basis of load of patients.
While a specialist will get an honourarium of Rs 5,000 per day, medical officer with MBBS degree will be given Rs 3000 a day. The remuneration to other paramedics will be given as per the Labour and ESI Department circular along with the special incentive for COVID-19.
A staff nurse, laboratory technician, pharmacist and radiographers will get Rs 1000 per day and the health workers will be paid Rs 850 per day each.
Odisha has a sanctioned strength of 10,425 MBBS doctors and dentists besides 1285 Ayush doctors. At present 7564 doctors and dentists are posted at various hospitals apart from 794 Ayush doctors. Recently, the State Government has recruited 1039 medical graduates and they all have been asked to join duty to meet the increased demand of patient care.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday lauded the efforts of health care professionals who continue to render their services despite all odds. He said the doctors and paramedical staff are in the first line of defence in the war against coronavirus.
Stating that their dedicated service and sacrifice is unmatched, he urged the people of the State to stand behind the families of healthcare providers. "I salute their spirit and appeal people to behave with the health professionals properly and give them due respect. If anyone is found misbehaving with them will be treated with iron hand. I have instructed the police to take stringent against the people who mistreat the doctors and paramedics," he said.
The Chief Minister announced that the doctors, nurses and paramedics in the State will get their salary of four months from April to July at one go in April along with the salary of March.