THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With Covid-19 cases once again rising and the government beginning to impose restrictions like during the first and second wave of the pandemic, the health department has sanctioned Rs 79.75 crore for incentive and risk allowance for the Covid-19 brigade.
Health minister Veena George said that the funds will benefit almost 19,500 Covid brigade volunteers engaged in various Covid-control activities in the state. She added that the funds will be disbursed to their accounts after rushing through the formalities at the earliest.
When the spread was intense during the first wave, the Covid-19 brigade was constituted by the state government on the instructions of the Union health ministry. All those who came forward to volunteer from the health sector and other sectors were included in the brigade.
The brigade was strengthened during the second wave, and when the Covid-19 spread reduced at the national level, the brigade was discontinued.
As of November 1 last year, there were as many as 19,642 members in the Covid-19 brigade in the state, including medical officers (1,707), dental surgeons (310), staff nurses (6,257), pharmacists (563), lab technicians (761), junior health inspector (1,744), junior public health nurses (499), data entry operators (1,178), cleaning staff (4,120) and others (2,503). Till July 1 last year, the state had spent Rs 145.42 crore towards the incentives and allowances for the Covid-19 brigade contract employees.
Meanwhile, the disaster management department has also begun the preparatory works to undertake the strengthening of the Covid-19 mitigation activities. On Thursday, the department had granted Rs 22 crore for the districts to immediately begin the work. While Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Wayanad and Kasargod have been granted Rs 1 crore each immediately, the remaining districts have been granted Rs 2 crore for the purpose. The districts have been asked to utilize the funds for Covid-19 mitigation activities, as per the guidelines of the state disaster response fund.
