Covid: State asks dists to step up dev work of health infra

Kolkata: The state government directed district authorities to ensure completion of the development of necessary infrastructure to combat the Covid third wave at state-run health care centres by the end of July.

Thrust has to be given on installation of oxygen plants as early as possible. At the same time moves have also been taken to increase the number of oxygenated beds in state-run hospitals.

Directions have also been given to the districts where the number of Covid cases is not going down. Strict measures have to be taken for better containment zones at Covid hotspots in these districts.

Administration of North 24-Parganas, Darjeeling and West Midnapore has been directed to be on alert to put a check on the number of

Covid cases.

Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi held a video conference with district magistrates and Chief Medical Officers Health (CMOHs) on Thursday evening from Nabanna. Health Secretary NS Nigam also attended the

meeting.

Development of the infrastructure, as required, need to be completed by the end of July so that all necessary steps can be taken without any delay in case the third wave hits the state.

It has also been directed that the number of Covid test should not go down. Instead measures need to be taken to increase the number of tests. At present nearly 50,000 tests take place in a day in

the state.

The districts, where there is a wide gap between number of first dose and second dose recipients, need to take steps so that second doses for maximum number of people can be arranged at the earliest.

The bordering districts also have to maintain strict surveillance to check the spread of Covid.