India will boost number of medical personnel to tackle Covid-19

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced a series of incentives to boost the availability of an adequate number of medical personnel to help tackle the devastating second wave of Covid-19.

India faces a paucity of health professionals, many of whom are severely stressed, given the enormity of the raging coronavirus pandemic.

Individuals providing services in Covid management will be given priority in regular government recruitments after they complete a minimum of 100 days of Covid-19 duty, an official statement said, our New Delhi correspondent reports.

A decision was taken to postpone the national eligibility entrance test (postgraduate) for at least four months so that a large number of qualified doctors are available for Covid-19 duties, it said.

It was also decided to allow deployment of medical interns in Covid-19 management duties under the supervision of their faculties as part of the internship rotation.

The services of final year MBBS students can be utilised for providing services like teleconsultation and monitoring mild Covid-19 cases after due orientation, by and under the supervision of the faculty. This will reduce the workload on existing doctors engaged in Covid-19 duty.

The medical students and professionals who sought to be engaged in Covid-19 related work will be vaccinated, and all health professionals thus engaged will be covered under the government's insurance scheme for health workers engaged in fighting Covid-19.

All such professionals who sign up for a minimum of 100 days of Covid duty and complete it successfully will also be given the Prime Minister's Distinguished Covid National Service Samman from the government of India.