Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minsiter Naveen Patnaik announced Wednesday that the government will open ‘COVID Care Homes’ in all panchayats of the state. The total capacity of these COVID Care Homes will approximately be 70,000. Each panchayat COVID care centre will have around 10 beds.
People with preliminary symptoms of coronavirus including fever, cough and cold will stay in these ‘COVID Care Homes’, said Patnaik. District health departments will do the swab and blood tests of the persons admitted to these homes. If their reports turn out to be positive, they will be sent to the nearest COVID-19 hospital. Those testing negative, will be advised to undergo self-isolation for a particular period of time.
The ‘COVID Care Homes’ will be in charge of the sarpanchs of the respective panchayats. The sarpanchs will have additional administrative powers to run the homes. The Odisha government will also provide financial assistance for running the centres.
In a bid to decentralize COVID-19 management, ward level committees will be formed in both city and village areas. ASHA, Anganwadi, ANM and SHG workers will be deployed as the members of those committees. Each of the committees will have powers to spend Rs 10,000.
Patnaik also talked about COVID-19 management in urban localities. He informed that COVID Care Homes will be set up adjacent to all big slums in various towns of Odisha. Local people and members of various social outfits will manage these homes. The members will take appropriate steps as per the data collected from the people during door to door surveillance.
PNN