Jharsugada: In view of growing number of COVID-19 positive cases in Odisha, state health minister Naba Kishore Das Friday requested union health minister Harsh Vardhan to grant more funds and provide more personal protective equipment (PPE) for doctors and healthcare workers engaged in the state.
Speaking to the union minister over video conferencing from Nirman Bhawan in Jharsuguda, Das said that the Centre has approved only Rs 46.35 crore towards battle against COVID-19 and requested the union health ministry to release more funds to the state to check the highly infectious disease.
Laying emphasis on safety of doctors treating COVID-19 patients, Das appealed the union minister to supply 5 lakh PPE, adequate quantity of Hydroxychloroquine and Vitamin-C tablets, masks and hand sanitisers to the state.
Das also urged Harsh Vardhan to provide COVID-19 RT-PCR testing kits and sought permission for setting up testing facilities at state-run medical institutions including VIMSAR in Burla, Bhima Bhoi Medical College & Hospital in Bolangir and SLN Medical College & Hospital in Koraput.
At the meeting, Das said that Odisha government has taken a number of precautionary measures including opening of exclusive COVID hospitals. The state government has already declared the pandemic a ‘state disaster’ and has set up around 1,500 beds at several locations of the state. He further apprised Harsh Vardhan about the state government’s plan to expand beds to 6,000.
