State to set up Covid wards in all blocks, gramin hosps at Rs 307 cr
kolkata: Health department is going to set up permanent Covid wards at block and gramin (village) level hospitals in all the districts at an approximate cost of Rs 307 crore as a precautionary measure to combat if there is any further Covid surge.
Sources in the health department said that daily Covid infection remains below 30 on an average basis in Bengal but there is no guarantee that infection cure will never go up.
Most of the hospitals which were earlier dedicated for Covid treatment have started full-fledged non-Covid treatment.
Health experts also pointed out that Covid that has triggered a pandemic across the globe is not going to go away and it will keep coming in the form of new variants.
The health experts are not also ruling out the possibility of a further wave in the future.
After considering various aspects, the health department has decided to prepare infrastructure in the hospitals in block level so that dedicated wards may be thrown open for Covid in case there is any surge in the future. Permanent Covid wards will be set up at 133 hospitals in Bengal most of which are situated in the block and village levels. State government has sanctioned a fund of Rs 307 crore for making the project happen.
It may be mentioned here that the Union Health Ministry had also urged the state government to make adequate infrastructure ready if the situation worsens in the near future. The Union Health Ministry has also assured help to various state governments under the second phase of Emergency Covid Response Package (ECRP-II).
"Out of 133 hospitals, full-fledged Covid wards with 100 bed capacities will be constructed at 16 hospitals.
Hospitals have been identified in various districts including East Burdwan, Hooghly, East Midnapore, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Malda, North 24-Parganas, Jhargram, West Midnapore, Bankura, West Burdwan, Murshidabad. Various hospitals will have 50 beds dedicated for Covid," a senior health department official said.
