New Delhi, June, 2021.

With an aim to be better equipped to combat COVID-19 challenges, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today launched the ‘Customized Crash Course programme for Covid 19 Frontline workers in Healthcare’ to skill and upskill over one lakh COVID warriors across the country. The strategic and timely intervention will provide a new direction to the COVID response by creating an energised and job-ready workforce through skilling, reskilling and upskilling initiatives.
During the launch event, PM Modi stressed that with Coronavirus expected to evolve in future, the healthcare infrastructure needs to be strengthened and additional skilled manpower would be instrumental in tackling the virus to a large extent.

Covid-19hasput existing healthcare system under unprecedented stress, and the requirement of skilled COVID warrior across the country is more critical than before. Today, under the visionary leadership and guidance of Hon’ble Prime Minster Narendra Modi on augmenting capacity of COVID-19 frontline workers across the country, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has decided to create a pool of trained and skilled COVID frontline workers through a customized crash course program.

The program aims to skill and upskill, over one lakh healthcare professionals in job roles relevant and related to services required to fight Covid-19. The new job roles identified include Basic Care Support, Emergency Care Support, Advance Care Support, Sample Collection Support, Home Care Support, Medical Equipment Support.

The program will include a short-term training followed by 3 months on-the-job training in healthcare facilities such as primary health centers, hospitals, diagnostic facility, sample collection centers etc.

These six customised crash courses have been developed in the shortest possible timeline by Healthcare Sector Skill Council (HSSC) which consists of professionals from health sector; and approved by the skill regulator namely NCVET. To start with, the programme will commence in 111 training centres spread over 26 states and soon 1 lakh professionals will be available for on-the-job support at healthcare facilities across locations. Depending upon the demand received from the states, the trainings will be implemented in a staggered manner for on-the-job training adhering to covid guidelines in the States.

The candidates will be trained to support the urgent requirement of professionals in the healthcare system of the country. These support activities include

·         Support in working of basic equipment such as Oxygen Concentrator, Oxygen Cylinder, Nebulizer, ECG and Pulse oximeter.

·         Support in making an ambulance ready with all consumables, equipment, and other inventories for emergency.

·         In one of the job roles, candidates will be trained to provide support in handling emergency scenarios such as clinical emergency, trauma emergency, mass casualty, disaster management, etc.

·         Some of these frontline workers will support in home aide services and maintain data, entry, and record of the patients.

·         The courses will also ensure that candidates assist in sample collection including swab collection, Rapid Antigen Test (RAT).

Benefits to the candidates include a government certification, stipend, accidental insurance of INR 2 lakh and boarding and lodging provisions. The States are being instructed to get the candidates vaccinated, provide PPE kits along with facilitating movement pass for them. In order to ensure quality outcome of the training, special focus is laid on availability of Training Centre (TC) facilities & infrastructure, availability of training material, regularity of training including batch attendance and strength, trainer qualification, Training of Trainer (ToT) certification and more.

The initiative will support various states and district administrations in their fight against COVID and will also support in reducing the excessive workload of doctors and nurses. 

Talking about the initiative, Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Hon’ble Minister of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, said, “The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has made this special quality intervention in skill training, contributing towards our fight against corona. This is our endeavour to support the current healthcare system in the country which is fighting day in and out to save lives of more and more people. Under the visionary guidance of our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, we have launched these specialised six job roles, devised to fight Covid-19.This will certainly reduce the burden of existing healthcare professionals with rapid support, as the magnitude of COVID crisis and surge in number of cases has led to immediate requirement of skilled workforce in healthcare sector. It is important for us to ensure that the increasing demand for healthcare professionals is met to safeguard and better equip the country to face Covid-19 pandemic not just in current times but future as well.”

Sharing his thoughts on the specialised training program, Shri Raj Kumar Singh, Minister of State (I/C) for Power and New & Renewable Energy and Minister of State, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship said, “Our nation is at war with Covid-19 pandemic and the need of the hour is to provide ample support to our healthcare fraternity. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in consultation with various state governments and Skill India Mission ecosystem, has acted swiftly to initiate this crucial intervention to further curtail the spread of coronavirus pandemic. Through this training program, we are giving an opportunity to our youth to enhance their employment prospects and also contribute their bit in the fight against Covid-19. I would advise all candidates to safeguard themselves first by strictly following COVID protocols in order to safely provide utmost care and support to the patients.”

MSDE will also work on upskilling of the already experienced health workers and PMKVY certified candidates, before being employed with healthcare facilities. With these efforts Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship aims to bring in quality support to healthcare sector and contribute to India’s fight against corona.

The launch event was graced by several important and distinguished members such as Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Hon’ble Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship; Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Hon’ble Minister of Health and Family Welfare; Sri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and Minister of Steel; Sri Raj Kumar Singh, Hon’ble Minister of State of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and MOS (IC) of Power and New & Renewable Energy; Sri Hardeep Singh Puri, Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation, and MOS (IC) of Housing and Urban Development; Sri Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Hon’ble Minister of State of Health and Family Welfare; Sri Praveen Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship; Sri AM Naik, Chairman, National Skill Development Corporation; Dr. Naresh Trehan, Chairman, Healthcare Sector Skill Council and representatives from 50 Training Centres across in 26 States and UTs.