Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today announced
introduction of �special health insurance� for physicians, nurses and
government employees who are now directly involved in containing the novel
coronavirus in the country.
Sheikh Hasina simultaneously blasted those doctors and nurses who are
denying to provide healthcare services to the people in this critical time
and hinted at taking stringent actions against them.
�We want to reward the brave health workers, including doctors, nurses and
other health professionals as well as the employees of the republic like field-
level officers, members of the armed forces and law enforcement agencies who
are working day and night risking their life to prevent the Covid-19,ďż˝ she
said.
�So, we�ve decided to introduce a special health insurance scheme for
encouraging them in doing more work and I�ve already talked to the finance
minister and secretary to this end,ďż˝ she said.
The premier made this announcement while exchanging views with the public
representatives and officials of the 15 districts in Chattogram and Sylhet
divisions through a videoconference on the present coronavirus situation in
the country from her official Ganabhaban residence.
The premier also declared that the government will take responsibility of
the treatment of those who will be infected by the lethal virus while
performing their duty.
�We�ll make arrangements of health insurance amounting to Taka 5 lakh to
Taka 10 lakh for the Covid-infected service providers as par their status,ďż˝
she said.
Sheikh Hasina said that the amount will be increased five times if anybody
dies or has death risk due to the virus.
The premier extended her sincere thanks to the government doctors, nurses
and health workers who are working tirelessly to provide services to the
people showing no negligence.
Mentioning that the government has declared a war against the beastly
disease, she said the doctors, nurses and health workers are making huge
contributions to this end. �They�re performing their duties in this battle
from the frontline,ďż˝ she said.
Sheikh Hasina also thanked the field-level officers and employees and
members of the armed forces and law enforcement agencies and others involved
in preventing the disease and relief distribution.
�I want to thank them as we were so far able to keep the coronavirus
situation under control (due to their relentless strides),ďż˝ she said.
The prime minister continued: �We don�t want to extend thanks to them only
verbally, we also want to give rewards to them.ďż˝
In this connection, Sheikh Hasina said she has already instructed the
authorities concerned to prepare a list of those doctors, nurses and health
workers who have been working directly since the beginning of the outbreak of
Covid-19.
�I need their list as I want to give rewards and special honorariums to
them � it�s needed to encourage the brave health workers,� she said, adding
that the work on preparing their list has already started.
The prime minister said this incentive will be applicable to those who are
working risking their lives from the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak.
�Those who didn�t perform their duties, fled for their own protection and
denied to provide treatment to the people won�t get this incentive � it�s
not applicable to them,ďż˝ she categorically said.
Sheikh Hasina said: �If anybody gives condition that he or she will
discharge his/her duty if gets this incentive, then we�ll keep them under
observation and see their work for at least three months and we�ll consider
it if they truly serve the people,ďż˝ she said.
In this connection, she said there is no logic to give incentive to those
who have no sense of humanity. �If the country faces such bad days in future,
we�ll bring physicians and nurses from outside,� she said.
Sheikh Hasina said the country will not benefit from the people having weak
mentality. �It�s a reality,� she added.
The prime minister said: �Whatever meetings they hold and whatever
conditions they place, I don�t care, rather they�ll have to think whether
they could continue in their profession in future.ďż˝
Sheikh Hasina added: �I want to know the names of the physicians who denied
to provide treatment to the people or remained absent at their workplaces ďż˝
I think those who have no capability of serving the people should be sacked.ďż˝