KOLKATA: Migrant workers who were diagnosed with COVID-19 after returning to West Bengal and recovered, have now been roped in by the state government to help hundreds of those suffering from the pandemic and are undergoing treatment at different hospitals in the metropolis, a senior government official said on Tuesday.
Fortynine migrant workers have been inducted by the state government as members of its 'COVID-19 Warriors Club' to assist the coronavirus patients.
They hail from Birbhum, Coochbehar, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Murshidabadand and are given a monthly honorarioum of Rs 15,000, he said.
"The primary job of these COVID-19 warriors is to keep up the morale of the patients currently undergoing treatment in the coronavirus wards in hospitals by sharing with them their own stories of recovery. These men will also provide updates to the relatives of those being treated," he said.
Before being engaged for the work, these migrant labourers were trained for at least seven days about the safety measures while assisting a patient at the COVID-19 ward, the official said.
"They are basically providing non-medical services mainly through counselling.
They will also play a role in raising awareness about the contagion among the patients, their relatives and others," the official said.
These men have also been trained also on how to change oxygen cylinders, check blood pressure, body temperature and a few other basics of treating a patient, he said.
Currently these 49 COVID-19 warriors are working in different hospitals in the city, including the state-run Kolkata Medical College and Hospital, the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute at Rajarhat, M R Bangur Hospital, the official said.
All of them have been put up at the Youth Hostel at Salt Lake stadium.
As per the state government's plans similar such clubs are being set up in every district, the official added.