Assam government augments COVID ICUs in state hospitals
Assam Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday reviewed the status of COVID intensive care units (ICUs) in the state.
“We have 127 COVID ICUs currently working at Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). Meanwhile, work to construct another 56 COVID ICUs is going on and we have requested the public works department to make them available in the next three to four days,” Sarma informed newsmen after a meeting with PWD officials at GMCH here.
“Besides, work on another 24 COVID ICUs is also going on simultaneously at Kalapahar COVID hospital,” he added.
He further informed that work on another 200 new COVID ICUs would be begin in the parking area of the GMCH premises from Saturday.
“The principal secretary (Health) has informed that GOC 4 Corps has also consented to start construction of a 60-bed ICU at Tezpur Medical College. This shall strengthen our COVID-19 management infrastructure,” Sarma said.
“We are also in talks with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for setting up a 300-bed hospital with oxygen facilities in Guwahati,” he added.
VACCINATION FOR 18- PLUS
The state health department kick-started the vaccination process for persons in the 18-44 years age category in a full-fledged manner from Friday.
Health minister Sarma said that beneficiaries in the 18-44 years’ age category have been administered the first dose of Covaxin across 244 COVID vaccination centres in the state.
“We have 1.5lakh vaccines to be administered to this age category for three days. Serum Institute of Pune has promised to provide another 4 lakh vaccines (Covishield) for the 18-44 years age group on May 9,” he said.
“Besides, the central government has sent one lakh COVID vaccines yesterday, another one lakh today while one lakh vaccines are scheduled to arrive here tomorrow for beneficiaries in the 45-plus age group. So, the vaccination process is going on smoothly,” he added.
(Edited by Christopher Gatphoh)
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