Haryana to issue appointment letters to 447 doctors to combat COVID-19 

The Haryana government has decided to immediately issue appointment letters to 447 recently selected doctors so as to combat  COVID-19. The doctors will be appointed in various departments including the departments of Medical Education and Research, Health, Revenue, Home and Urban Local Bodies for the COVID related mitigation measures.

The decisions was taken during the meeting of Crisis Coordination Committee held under the chairpersonship of Chief Secretary Mrs Keshni Anand Arora in Chandigarh on Tuesday.

It was decided that the appointment letters shall be issued in relaxation of the conditions of character verification and medical examinations in a bid to fill up all vacant posts at once. It was decided that testing facilities at private labs will also be statred soon at at least four places and 50 per cent of their capacity would be reserved for the usage by the Government. Cost of tests referred by the Health department to these facilities would be borne by the state government.

The private testing labs would be mandated to inform the Health department regarding testing reports of all cases including the private cases not referred by the health department.

A decision was also taken in the meeting that the existing government testing facilities shall be augmented and efforts will be made to create new testing facilities also on top priority. Apart from this, N-95 Mask Supply would be expedited by coordinating with the suppliers so that emergency staff and officials on duty in health department etc could be provided with the same on urgent basis.

Also, essential medicines especially Hydrochloroquine and choloroquine supply would be ensured in sufficient quantity and if necessary, the same would be increased manifold.

Besides, private ambulances would be requisitioned on need basis by the Deputy Commissioners concerned. However, it would be ensured that the critical cases including delivery cases are prioritized as per the existing practice.

The government will also take decision regarding planning and notifying dedicated COVID Hospitals. Initially four such hospitals would be designated and later it would be expanded as per the requirement. Apart from this, all Deputy Commissioners would take decision locally to issue passes for movement of personnel and vehicles etc. as per need. With regard to Chandigarh and Panchkula Offices, Home department would be Nodal for coordinating with Chandigarh UT administration to facilitate issuance of passes and transit of essential services, officials and staff.

An official spokesperson of the government informed that DCs would requisition at least five Buses and Trucks for maintaining and transport of essential personnel and commodities. The Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board (HSAMB) would ensure that the private mandis running without due permission would be restricted to ensure social distancing norms. It would also be ensured that private retail vendors should not charge exorbitant price of essential items like vegetable, fruits etc.

The Home department will ensure that appropriate directions are issued to the police personnels involved in the implementation of lockdown that essential services including movement of supply chain commodities and services like HAFED, VITA, Banking personnel, Sanitation, Public Distribution System (PDS), Health and Para Medic staff, BPO etc. should remain uninterrupted. They would also make sure that the transit of essential goods and personnel to neighbouring states like Himachal, Punjab should also not be hindered.