On Monday, the Naveen Patnaik government in Odisha announced a series of awards and incentives—from Rs 10 lakh cash award to foreign junkets for doctors and paramedical professionals in public sector under its 5T initiative to improve quality in healthcare.

The 5T is abbreviation for Technology, Transparency, Teamwork, Transformation and Time. Naveen Patnaik’s governance mantra in his fifth-term and is supervised by Naveen’s trusted IAS officer V K Pandian who has been electedas 5T secretary.

A statement issued by the chief minister’s office (CMO) said that a new award to be called CM’s Award for Excellence in Public Service is being instituted, which will be the highest award for doctors and paramedical staff members in government sector. The award is Rs 10 lakh each for doctors and Rs 5 lakh each for other health department employees and citations will be given in state-level events yearly. A committee of well-known personalities in healthcare sector will select the awardees.

The government has also announced a ‘Career Award’ for healthcare professionals for outstanding service rendered by a regular health department employee who have worked for minimum 25 years. The awardees will also get a promotion on the day of retirement.

If any hospital manages to get the National Quality Accreditation Standard (NQAS), all the employees of the institution, including doctors, nurses, paramedics, management staff, housekeeping and security staff members will be given one month extra salary as bonus. Also, top three institutions attainingKayakalp/LaQshya certification in state and those involved in the process will get bonus of half month salary.

Five hospitals getting good feedback from patients under ‘Mo Sarakar’, the feedback-based governance initiative, will receive appreciation certificates every quarter. Employees of annual achievers will be able to travel abroad on LTC (leave travel concession).

The CMO said that there are many highly inspired and enthusiastic doctors, paramedical and healthcare professional who are sincerely and consistently working toward improving public service delivery to the people. Their service merits recognition and reward. They should be motivated to achieve excellence and higher standards in health services delivery.