"We have to further enhance the preparedness of the country to meet the challenges ahead," PM asserted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched six crash course programmes to train and upskill around one lakh frontline workers to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking on the occasion, PM Modi urged people to remain cautious, stressing that the virus is "still amongst us" and the possibility of it mutating is also there. He also said the government is committed to providing free Covid vaccination for everyone starting June 21.
"In the second wave of coronavirus, we saw what kind of challenges the ever-changing form of this virus can bring before us," PM Modi said.
"We have to further enhance the preparedness of the country to meet the challenges ahead," PM Modi asserted.
"With this goal in mind, a massive campaign to prepare about one lakh frontline 'Corona warriors' is being started in the country," he said.
The training will be imparted to Covid warriors in six customised roles - Home Care Support, Basic Care Support, Advanced Care Support, Emergency Care Support, Sample Collection Support, and Medical Equipment Support.
"These courses are designed to skill as well as upskill the healthcare workforce. 111 such centres are being started from today across the nation under the Skill India programme. With this, we will have more than one lakh new skilled healthcare frontline workers in the next few months," PM added.
The programme has been designed as a special programme under the Central Component of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 3.0, with total financial outlay of Rs 276 crore, the PMO said.
The programme will create skilled non-medical healthcare workers to fill the present and future needs of manpower in the health sector.