All 22 districts to have nodal COVID-19 hospitals: Mamata
Kolkata: Pushing for significant steps to fight the Coronavirus crisis in the state, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced setting up of dedicated nodal hospitals for COVID-19 cases in each of the 22 districts.
The decision is being considered as a step forward in breaking the human chain from the national to the district level in the state by restricting the community to their respective districts regarding COVID-19 healthcare assistance.
The Mamata Banerjee government also increased the life insurance coverage to Rs 10 lakh for all those who are fighting to save lives. Besides increasing the amount by Rs 5 lakh, the state government has brought in people involved in courier services and transportation of medicine under the ambit of the insurance coverage along with doctors, nurses, health workers, policemen, conservancy workers, ASHA and ICDS workers. The period till when they will be receiving the benefits of the insurance coverage has also been extended till May 15. Earlier, it was earlier May 1.
The Chief Minister said: "We salute to the people who are relentlessly fighting to save lives of others. My gratitude to their family members as well. Their family members will also be getting the benefits of the insurance coverage if they fall ill. A helpline number will soon be set up."
She also added: "We had initially announced an insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh for doctors and healthcare workers. Now the amount has been increased to 10 lakh… Also, we have decided to extend the facility to sanitation and allied workers. Police personnel will also be covered under this insurance scheme."
Banerjee, along with senior officials of the state government, held video conferencing with District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police from Nabanna Sabhaghar on Monday. Directions have been given that isolation wards for COVID-19 should not be set up in premises of district and sub-divisional hospitals. She took stock of the isolation wards and quarantine centres in each district and directed necessary steps wherever she found necessary. She also directed district hospitals not to refer anyone to the city hospitals without any valid reason.
The Chief Minister also said patients could be sent from Birbhum, Bankura, Purulia, Burdwan East and West to private hospitals in Durgapur and Asansol that have been requisitioned by the government. A nodal officer for the same has been appointed. She also directed Jhargram district authorities to create awareness in the tribal language as there is a dense population of the same community in the region.
The Chief Minister also directed the district authorities to ensure accommodation facilities for doctors and health workers in hotels or guest houses in close proximity to the hospitals.
Banerjee also directed all officials to be alert as the coming next two weeks will be very sensitive. Expressing displeasure over the preparedness to fight the virus in West Midnapore district, Banerjee directed District Magistrate Rashmi Kamal to take more stringent measures.
She also directed the authorities of all the districts sharing national and international borders that there must be strict vigil and nothing apart from essential commodities should enter the state. Stating that Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Siliguri are very "sensitive", she directed the deployment of senior IPS officers Ajay Nand and Anand Kumar there for better supervision.
The Chief Minister further stated that the state government would move the court for parole of 2525 female inmates including 1139 undertrials for two months. The same will be done for male inmates above 60 years.
The state government has also decided to give 5 kg rice to each of 20 lakh people who do not have a ration card and from economically weaker sections, including the migrant labourers.
She said 50 policemen in every district, including Kolkata, will be donating blood to meet shortage every day apart from Sundays. In Kolkata, it will take place at Netaji Indoor Stadium that has been booked for one month for the same. "Many political parties have approached us with a proposal for blood donation. Let, for the time being, police personnel, donate blood," Banerjee said.
She also said that Satyam Roychowdhury, Chancellor of Sister Nivedita University and Managing Director of Techno India Group Satyam Roychowdhury along with the Adamas Group, have come forward to let their certain establishments be used to fight the disease. She directed North 24-Parganas district authorities to look into the viability of setting up quarantine centres there.
Steps have been taken for the timely salary of the state government employees and advance for a month if required. Two employees of private companies have been allowed to visit their offices for two days to ensure the salary of employees for which they have to collect passes from local police.
The state government has also allowed sweet shops to remain open from 12 noon to 4 pm only for takeaways of packed items with minimum staff and only one is allowed to take away packaged items.
