Bhubaneswar: In a bid to meet the growing demand for healthcare facility for Covid patients, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Friday inaugurated a 150-bed district Covid hospital in Puri on virtual mode.
The hospital was built on the premises of Shri Jagannath Medical College in Puri, in collaboration with Sum Hospital, Bhubaneswar. The facility has 90 general oxygen beds, 40 HDU beds and 20 ICU beds.
It is also equipped with a high quality laboratory and diagnostic facility. Speaking on the occasion, Patnaik said the hospital will be helpful in providing better medical care to critical Covid patients of the district and that they would not have to look for hospitals in Bhubaneswar or Cuttack.
The entire expenditure for operation of the Covid hospital will be met from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF), the Chief Minister announced. He stated that all the beds had been connected with oxygen pipeline, and the number of oxygen beds would be further increased if required.
“This is a very challenging time for all of us in the country. The pandemic has created a huge humanitarian crisis. It’s a threat to our lives, our health, and our general wellbeing,” the CM stated.
Last year, despite the economic impact, the state contained the virus with a greater success, he said, adding, “This year in the second wave, we have so far been able to contain it largely. The recovery rate is also improving.”
The Chief Minister said that the state has a robust Covid infrastructure and the government is working to improve it further. The government is making every possible effort to provide the best treatment facilities and save precious lives, he said.
Appealing to people to follow Covid norms to beat the pandemic, Patnaik said the success in containing this pandemic lies in checking the virus and breaking its chain.
Among others, Health Minister Naba Das, School & Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Das, Sports Minister Tushar Kanti Behera, deputy chairman of the State Planning Board Sanjay Das Burma, Puri MP Pinaki Mishra, Western Odisha Development Council (WODC) chairman Asit Tripathy, Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra and ACS Health PK Mohapatra, attended the meeting.
PNN