Combating COVID-19: Odisha Govt To Employ Temporary Microbiologists To Manage Public Health Labs

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to engage microbiologists on a temporary basis to ensure the smooth functioning of district public health laboratories and collection of blood and swab samples of people in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

The Health and Family Welfare Department said this in a letter on Saturday.

It said that microbiologists (medico/non-medico) may be engaged on a short-term basis in case of vacancies and additional requirements, if any, for effective management of COVID-19.

The microbiologists (medico) would receive a daily honorarium of Rs 5,000 and the non-medicos will get Rs 2,500.

Those willing to join will have to appear for a walk-in-interview by the directors/CDM&PHOs of the districts concerned. They shall be engaged for a period till June 30, which may be extended further if the situation so warrants.

“The engagement is purely temporary and can be terminated at any point of time without assigning any reason thereof. All the above expenditure may be booked under the Public Health Response Fund (PHRF) as per actual,” the letter stated.