Experience of 1st & 2nd waves will help in handling possible 3rd wave of COVID: Patnaik

Bhubaneswar, Jun 25 (PTI) Completing foundation laying events for setting up of Medical Oxygen Plants in all the 30 districts of Odisha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Friday said the experience gained by handling the first and the second waves of COVID-19 pandemic will certainly help to face the challenges of the possible third spell.

Patnaik said the state has been working to ensure that not a single COVID patients is deprived of proper healthcare.

He laid the foundation for Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) storage Vessel System (6KL capacity) at the district headquarters hospitals in Angul, Boudh, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Kalahandi and Nuapada.

While complimenting all the doctors, health workers, Asha and Anganwadi workers for their relentless fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, Patnaik said,"The experience we have gained from the first and second waves of the corona will definitely help us to the face the challenges of the possible third wave." The work that is being done in the infrastructure sector will further strengthen our fight against coronavirus, he added.

He said the work has begun on oxygen plants in all 30 districts of the state, which would be completed over the next two months.

In addition, the Athmallik Sub-Divisional Hospital has an oxygen pipe jointed ward- Pallahada Sub-Divisional Hospital while the Madhapur and Kishornagar Group Health Centers and Thakurmunda and Bainda Primary Health Centers have piped oxygen supply Ward 6, as well as the new district main hospital at Deogarh Rajmunda.

Meanwhile, the state government has asked all heads of medical colleges and other healthcare institutions to test samples of medical oxygen plants being set up all over the state before its medical consumption.

Additional Chief Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, PK Mohapatra has asked all heads of all Medical Colleges & Hospitals and Chief District Medical & Public Health Officers to test the sample of oxygen plants at a lab accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).

"To ensure that these plants deliver oxygen appropriate for medical consumption, sample testing of oxygen should be done in a NABL accredited lab as per guidelines," Mohapatra told the authorities of healthcare institutions.

Mohapatra made it clear that the PSA (Pressure swing adsorption) plants must be commissioned for medical use only after receipt of satisfactory report by the hospital authorities.

The officials have been urged to ensure that this oxygen sample testing is undertaken for all new PSA plants being set up in health institutions, irrespective of source of funding and capital investment for the plant.

Meanwhile, the H&FW department has also allowed use of Disability certificate with photo issued to persons with disability (PwD) by competent authority of the state government as one of prescribed Photo ID document for COVID-19 vaccination As all persons with disabilities have not been provided with an Aadhaar card so far, the government has permitted the use of Disability Certificate for verification of such beneficiaries prior to COVID-19 vaccination.

Similarly, the District Collectors and Municipal Commissioners have been instructed to hold meetings with private hospitals for procurement of vaccines for the future.

As per allocation made by the centre, the private hospitals in the state will get 8,43,930 doses of Covishield and 1,73,040 doses of Covaxin in July.

The private hospitals will place their demand before the state while the Government of India will facilitate procurement of vaccines from domestic manufacturers. PTI AAM SNS SNS