Ahead of possible 3rd Corona wave, Delhi to have 5,000 health assistants: Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi:Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal Wednesday said the Delhi government would train 5,000 youngsters as health assistants in the coming weeks to prepare for a possible third wave of Covid-19 in Delhi. He said that these Community Nursing Assistants will be trained in basic nursing, paramedic, lifesaving, first aid, and home care, sample collection, oxygen concentrators and cylinders operations among other things. This initiative has been induced keeping in mind the shortage of medical staff witnessed during first and second wave of Corona, he added.

CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal said, “As you have been observing for the past 10 days, arrangements are being made in Delhi against the possible third wave of COVID-19. In the past few days, I have visited hospitals, many oxygen plants are being installed, oxygen concentrators, oxygen cylinders, and oxygen storage tanks – many arrangements are being made in view of the third wave.” 

He said, “In case a third wave emerges, we might also witness a shortage of medical and paramedical staff as we had seen during the second and the first waves. Keeping that in mind, the government has devised a big plan of training 5000 health assistants. In technical terms, they are called Community Nursing assistants. So 5,000 youngsters will be trained for 2 weeks by the IP University and by the 9 medical institutes of Delhi, where they will be given basic training." 

He said, “These 5,000 health assistants or Community Nursing assistants will work as assistants to the doctors and nurses. They will work on those tasks assigned to them by the doctors and nurses and will not be able to decide on their own. They will be trained in basic nursing, paramedic, lifesaving, first aid, and home care. They will be trained for basic things such as how to measure oxygen, how to measure blood pressure, and how to get vaccinated. They will also be trained in patient care, diaper changing, catheter, bedpan, sample collection, how an oxygen concentrator works, how an oxygen cylinder works, how to put on the mask, etc."

CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal said, “For example, if we create a huge Covid center, if assistants are appointed along with the doctors, then the doctors will be able to work efficiently and the patient care would also improve. So we will train these 5,000 people and they will be called when there is a need. They will be given a salary according to the number of days they work. So, online applications can be filled starting 17th June. Training period will start from 28th June in batches of 500, that is the first batch of 500 will be trained for 2 weeks and after that, another batch of 500 will be trained. A total of 5,000 people will be trained in this manner.” 

He said, “All those who have passed their class 12th are eligible. They should be 18 years or more and applications will be accepted on a first come first serve basis. I believe this will strengthen our preparation for the third wave as manpower will be available in case a third wave does emerge. I again hope that a third wave does not come about, but as per the information from the UK, a third wave has emerged there. So we should also be fully prepared, keeping in mind the developments all over the world.