Odisha: 7,000 unemployed health workers to be engaged at COVID Care Homes

The Odisha government on Tuesday said it will engage around 7,000 trained unemployed healthcare workers at the COVID-19 Care Homes (CCHs), which are proposed to be established in all 6,798 Gram Panchayats in view of rise in COVID-19 cases in the state.

The state government will be employing Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), staff nurses and pharmacists at the CCHs.

However, according to the official order issued by the state's Health and Family Welfare Department, these engagements will be temporary, for a period of three months only or till CCHs are functional, keeping in view the emergency situation arising due to the pandemic.

The remuneration will be on a daily wage basis as per the labour and ESI department notification, Rs 850 for ANM, Rs 1,000 for staff nurse and Rs 1,000 for pharmacists has been fixed as daily remuneration.

Anticipating the burden on hospitals, the state government has established these CCHs in each panchayat, where patients with suspected symptoms for coronavirus will be admitted till they are not tested for the virus and anyone found positive, will be sent to a COVID dedicated hospital.

As per the state government's update, out of 6,798 CCHs, 6,128 CCHs are operational in 6,798 Gram Panchayats of the state. In all these centres, a total number of 61,410 beds have been arranged to provide COVID-19 health services.

( With inputs from ANI )