UP govt issues order for Covid allowance to docs, health staff

Final-year medical students, retired medical college doctors, as well as those working in private hospitals to be hired in a decentralized manner to tackle pandemic challenge

LUCKNOW: The state government on Thursday issued an order for the payment of 25% special Covid allowance for doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and sanitation workers discharging their duties in the government-run Covid hospitals and medical colleges across the state.

The government has also decided to hire the services of doctors doing internship after completing MBBS, final-year medical students, retired medical college and UP Provincial Medical Services doctors, as well as those working in private hospitals and medical colleges in a decentralized manner.

As for the 25 % allowance, it will be based on the basic salary or monthly stipend and given to the permanent staff as well as the staff appointed through outsourcing, principal secretary (medical education) Alok Kumar said.

The order will remain effective from May 1 to July 31, he said.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on May 3 had made the announcement about the allowance, the state government said in a statement.

As for decentralized hiring, principals and directors will appoint staff in the medical colleges and medical institutes. The district health committee under the chairmanship of the district magistrate will hire doctors and other staff for the hospitals run by the state health department. The health workers engaged for duty in the Covid hospitals of the state will be provided meal and active quarantine facilities according to the state government’s policies, Alok Kumar said.

The MBBS interns will be paid Rs 500 honorarium each daily, MSc nursing students Rs 400, BSc nursing students Rs 300, MBBS final year students Rs 300 honorarium daily.

To deal with the paucity of human resource in Covid hospitals the state government has also decided to hire doctors, nurses and paramedical staff working in private hospitals along with retired doctors.

They will be given salary approved under National Health Mission and be paid an additional 25% of the salary as incentive, he said.

Molecular microbiologists, laboratory technicians, data entry staff, laboratory attendants deputed in laboratories for the Covid 19 sample tests will be paid 10% additional allowance of their basic salary as an incentive.