The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) called for Action Taken Report (ATR) within 6 weeks from the Chief Secretary of Odisha about demand for job regularisation of 7,000 Covid warriors engaged in Covid Care Homes (CCHs) by converting those to Panchayat Health Care Homes (PHCHs) for better health services of Odisha.
The NHRC acted upon a case filed by the State president of Covid Warrior’s Forum Er Debashisha Hota, where the pathetic condition of the Covid warriors engaged in CCHs, who played a major role in controlling the pandemic during its peak period, was pointed out. Although their engagement was totally temporary in nature, but for the service of the mankind the Covid warriors, mostly women Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANMs), did not bother for their own safety. They were assured that when regular vacancy would be created, they would be regularised but now their services have been terminated and they have been asked to compete with other candidates who did nothing during the pandemic.
Notably, the Covid warriors posted in CCHs of all over Odisha, led by Er Hota, had given memorandums in this regard to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik through the district Collectors and had discussed with them. But as the demands were not considered, hence Er Hota had filed a petition with the NHRC.