From vaccination on priority to grace marks and financial incentives, the Karnataka government has proposed to offer various perks for medicos who sign up for Covid-19 duty.

In Karnataka, where the average number of daily cases has crossed the 40,000 mark with a positivity rate of about 30 percent, such a measure has been proposed to improve access to qualified medical professionals.

Following a meeting with officials from the medical education department on Thursday, Dr. K Sudhakar, minister for health and family welfare and medical education, Karnataka, said that they are considering to rope in final year medical and nursing students.

“They will be considered Corona warriors and accorded priority in vaccination,” said Dr. Sudhakar.

The state government has estimated that over one lakh such students can be roped in and the medical education department is in discussion with the financial department to finalise incentives for these students.

Deputy chief minister Dr. C N Ashwath Narayan said that an incentive of Rs 10,000 will be provided in addition to the Rs 30,000 that is already assured to them while on government duty.

The state, Dr. Ashwath Narayan said, had received approvals from the National Medical Commission to relax pre-fixed postings for final-year students. Conventionally, final students must complete one year of service in rural areas based on their postings by the state government to avail a registration with the Karnataka Medical Council to be able to practice.

Previously, Dr. Devi Shetty, a renowned cardiac surgeon had warned that the state could be staring at a shortage of medical professionals and paramedics and suggested that final year medical students be roped into work.

It maybe recollected that earlier this week, the Union government announced the postponement of NEET PG in view of the fact that medicos could be assigned Covid-19 duties and be required to attend to asymptomatic or non-critical cases telephonically under the guidance of experienced doctors.

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