Goa announces salary hike for frontline workers

08/04/2020, ADITYA ANAND,MUMBAI

The Goa government has hiked salaries of staff working at COVID-19 facilities by 20% along with providing them a ₹50 lakh insurance cover.

Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant said that this was being done as a way of thanking and appreciating the work being undertaken by the frontline staff in the State.

“The insurance and 20% salary increase on their basic pay will continue till the COVID-19 fight is on. This will cover doctors, nurses and even sweepers, security and cleaning staff,” he said. The government will make this available to all contractual staff sourced through private vendors, who would be made to comply with the decision.

Rapid testing

Rapid testing with results available in an hour commenced from Tuesday. The State government has procured 2,000 Truenat rapid testing kits from Molbio Dx, a Goa-based company.

The test is a real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) test for the qualitative detection of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2 in upper and lower respiratory specimens (such as nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swabs) collected from individuals suspected of COVID-19.

Health Minister Viswajit Rane said the tests would be conducted at the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim, Asilo Hospital in Mapusa and the Sub-District Hospital in Ponda.