COVID-19: Tripura CM announces jobs  to families of health workers

Agartala: In order to ensure security for the families of frontline workers, Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Thursday announced jobs to families of the doctors, nurses and other health staffers, if anyone dies while fighting against COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

Speaking with reporters after visiting the GB Pant Hospital and Indira Gandhi Memorial (IGM) hospital, Deb said that so far there is only one COVID-19 positive case in the state. All the 17 ‘high risk’ persons having close contacts with the first positive patient have tested negative.

Deb was on his visit to GBP and IGM hospital to review the situation and preparedness taken by the health department for tackling the spread of COVID-19.

“We have already announced Rs 4 lakh as compensation to the families for health staff if they die due to COVID-19 while performing their duty across the state. The government is with the health staff and their families and there is no need to be worried,” Deb said.

Speaking further, he said that some of the nurses had protested alleging there is insufficient protective gear, masks and sanitizers for the health staff has created panic among the mass. We have initiated strict action against agitating nurses, he said.

Earlier, some nurses had protested in GB Pant hospital in Agartala and Kailashahar District Hospital in Unakoti district demanding protective equipment for them. They also alleged that the hospitals had a shortage of hand sanitizers, gloves, PPE kits and other materials.