Anyone ostracising healthcare workers in Bengal will be arrested: Mamata

Kolkata, Mar 30: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday that anyone found ostracising healthcare workers who have been attending to COVID-19 patients would be arrested.

Banerjee said her government would set up a dedicated nodal hospital in all the districts for cases of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Anyone found ostracising healthcare workers or even attempting to do so will be immediately arrested. The law will take its own course. The healthcare workers are risking everything to save people," she said.

The chief minister said an insurance cover of Rs 10 lakh would be extended to those, including healthcare professionals, sanitation workers and police personnel, who have been aiding the government in the fight against COVID-19.

Earlier, the government had sanctioned an insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh for people working in the healthcare sector.

"We had initially announced an insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh for doctors and healthcare workers. Now the amount has been increased to 10 lakh," Banerjee said at a review meeting here.

"Also, we have decided to extend the facility to sanitation and allied workers. Police personnel will also be covered under this insurance scheme," she added.

Banerjee announced that all sweet shops in Bengal would remain open from noon to 4 pm everyday, giving a relief to the sweet makers and milk vendors in the state.

She directed the top police officers attending the meeting to arrange for blood donation camps across the state.