From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, May 31: Chief minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday interacted with select staff nurses from different districts and warmly appreciated the selfless and dedicated service rendered by the nurses all over the state in treating the Covid infected patients.
A total of 21,574 staff nurses are working in the state and with a view to encouraging their service, an additional special Covid allowance of Rs 8,000 per month is paid to all staff nurses, the chief minister said.
The staff nurses have dedicated their lives and have been working tirelessly in spite of their family problems and compulsions and even taking the risk of maintaining the social distancing norms from their own loved ones in their homes, which is beyond words, he said.
The chief minister said as many as six applications from staff nurses who died due to the Covid pandemic have been received for grant of the Rs 50 lac compensation under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Insurance Scheme. The amounts in respect of three cases have already been cleared and the other applications will be cleared soon.
The state government has been taking special measures for providing training to the staff nurses in Covid care for their own safety and protection and supplying essential items like PPE kits, gloves, face masks and face shields as well as hand sanitisers, Yediyurappa said.
Wenlock Hospital’s Waheeda wants jabs for family members too
Staff nurses Waheeda from Wenlock Hospital, Mangaluru, Santhosh from Bidar Medical College Hospital, M D Sharada from Chigateri in Davangere, Renuka Googihal from Badami taluk hospital, Rachoti Varada from Raichuru medical college hospital, Pushparaj from Vijayapura district hospital, Pradeep Kumar from Chamarajanagar district hospital, Shashikala from Kolar SNR hospital, Shewata R from Harihar public hospital and Sandhyarani from Chikkamagaluru district hospital participated in the interaction with the chief minister.
Waheeda, staff nurse from Wenlock Government Hospital, Mangaluru, demanded that family members of nurses involved in Covid care work must also be vaccinated on a priority basis as they face the real risk of being infected.
More number of senior citizens died during the Covid first wave last year, while the second wave took a toll on more middle-aged persons and even youngsters, Waheeda said speaking about her experience.
Shashikala from Kolar pointed out that the medical personnel were facing grave difficulties as most of the people were emotionally reacting when their loved ones die or suffer due to Covid.
The chief minister consoled Renuka Googihal, who lost her husband two and half months back, and asked her to take care of her child.
Rachoti Varada from Raichuru medical college hospital requested the chief minister to ensure that the Jyothi Sanjeevini facility provided to the staff of Medical College hospitals must also be extended to the family members, which the chief minister promised to consider.
Health and family welfare minister, Dr K Sudhakar, health department commissioner, Dr K V Trilokchandra and other senior officials participated in the video interaction.