At a time when the Coronavirus pandemic is raging across the country, the Andhra Pradesh government has decided to temporarily hire hundreds of specialists, general duty medical officers and other health staff to tackle the pandemic.

“Government has issued orders to engage 1,170 specialists, 1,170 general duty medical officers, 2,000 staff nurses, 306 anesthesia technicians, 300 FNOs, 300 MNOs and 300 sweepers on contract basis purely on temporary basis,” said principal secretary Muddada Ravi Chandra on Sunday.

The state government will hire them for a period of six months for Covid management.

As Coronavirus cases are increasing, the health and family welfare commissioner has requested the government to continue the services of specialists and other staff.

On Sunday, AP recorded 12,634 new infections, raising the state’s overall Coronavirus tally to 10.3 lakh while active cases reached 89,732.