Odisha trains 1.72 lakh health personnel to combat COVID-19

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has trained 1.72 lakh health personnel to fight COVID-19 in the state, where a spike in the number of positive cases was recently witnessed following the return of Odia migrant workers from other parts of the country, a senior official said.

The state government has trained 1,72,499 health personnel to deal with the novel coronavirus outbreak, Chief Secretary AK Tripathy said while launching the ”COVID-19 workforce portal” here on Friday.

Altogether 129 fresh novel coronavirus cases were reported in the state since May 3, when the return of the stranded migrant workers began. Of these, around 114 COVID-19 patients are returnees who were stranded in Gujarat, a health official said.

A total of 8,023 doctors, 8,296 staff nurses, 4,105 paramedical staff and laboratory technicians, 4,114 AYUSH doctors, 4,905 ambulance drivers, 1,35,820 ANM/ASHA/AWW workers and 7,236 sanitation workers have been drafted into the COVID-19 workforce, Labour and ESI Secretary Anu Garg said.

Also, 108 doctors, 64 staff nurses and 61 pharmacists from ESI and private sector hospitals have been trained in COVID-19 management, she said.

Health and Family Welfare Secretary N B Dhal said that 8,325 MBBS, AYUSH and nursing students, who had volunteered for COVID-19 duty, have been trained in providing care to the patients.

Garg, also the chairperson of HR and capacity-building committee for COVID-19, said 33,900 functionaries of temporary medical camps set up in different panchayat areas for the returning stranded migrants have been trained in health, nutrition, water and sanitation management in the facilities.

The people in charge of the temporary camps have also been trained in providing care to children and women and traumatised returnees, she said.

Around 753 counsellors have been trained to provide psycho-social support to the patients and their families, the official said.

The Odisha Disaster Management Authority, in coordination with the UNFPA and the UNICEF, has also trained 2,471 volunteers to provide assistance in COVID-19 management, she said.

“The training has instilled confidence among the doctors, paramedical personnel and support staff. They are ready to face any situation,” the state government”s training coordinator for COVID-19, Dr Jayanta Panda of the SCB Medical College, said.

(PTI)