Former Finance Minister and MLA Tarun Bhanot has on Tuesday accused the State’s Minister of Public Health and Family Welfare, Dr Prabhu Ram Choudhary and said the Government has forced hundreds of COVID warriors into unemployment. He has appealed to the Government to immediately reinstate their services under contractual appointment. Bhanot stated that during the global pandemic of COVID-19, frontline warriors in the healthcare sector, including doctors, nursing staff and hospital workers risked their lives day and night to serve COVID patients. The Government bestowed upon them the title of ‘COVID warriors’, showered them with flowers from helicopters, but as soon as the COVID situation was brought under control, they were permanently separated from the service, citing budgetary constraints.

 

Although the Government assured all temporary COVID warriors, including doctors and nursing staff that they would be given priority in the recruitment process under contract in the near future, hundreds of doctors and nurses in Jabalpur district continue to suffer from unemployment even after almost three years. Bhanot said during the COVID period, 132 nursing staff and 6 radiologists were temporarily appointed for Jabalpur Medical College and 77 doctors, 45 nursing staff and 20 supporting staff were appointed for Jabalpur District Hospital.