In Fight against COVID-19, Naveen Foucses on Community Involvement, Announces Sarpanchs Continue to Have Powers of Collectors in Enforcing Lockdown

Bhubaneswar: Community involvement has been one of the main pillars of Odisha’s COVID-19 management, said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today.

Speaking at the all-party meeting, Chief Minister said, “Community involvement has been one of the main pillars of our Covid management. The Gram Panchayats, Gaon Kalyan Samitis and Sarpanchs have been involved since the beginning”.

The grassroots workers like ANMs, ASHAs, Anganwadi workers and organisations like Mission Shakthi groups have been intensively utilized for providing the services to the people, Naveen said.

A 3- month house-to-house survey (for Covid symptoms and co-morbid conditions) by ASHAs and AWWs will be launched beginning 24th May, for which they will be given an additional incentive of Rs 1000 per month for these 3 months, he added.

Naveen said, “GAON KALYAN SAMITIS are at the cutting edge of our outreach and they are there in almost every village. An amount of Rs 10,000 per GKS will be sanctioned for undertaking Covid related activities at village level involving the community”.
As ASHAs monitor home isolation cases, they will be provided one time assistance of Rs.10,000 for bicycle, cupboard, slippers, umbrella and torch.

Sarpanchs continue to have the powers of district collectors in enforcing lockdown etc. and they are free to start TMCs based on need and inflow of people from outside. To start with, the State has started functioning zonal TMCs as flow of people from outside is very less compared to last year, the Chief Minister said.
Covid has devastated many families in the State. We intend to provide a healing touch to such Covid affected families by continuing to cover the widows and orphan children under the Madhubabu Pension Yojana. The children will also get free education facilities, the CM added.

He said, “We are already in the midst of the second wave. We don’t know how many more waves or variants we will have to face. We imposed the Lockdown to slow down this current wave. However, lockdowns cannot be the solution as it seriously hurts many livelihoods. It’s a long fight and we have to be prepare our people through awareness. Wearing masks, washing hands regularly, maintaining social distances, avoiding crowding and staying at home unless really necessary to go out. These are our main weapons to control the virus spread”.

The Government will allow expenditure from MLALADS up to Rs 50 lakhs for assisting in activities related to covid management, including procurement of masks from Mission Shakti groups to provide for poor people, he added.

The Government is making all out efforts to save precious lives and I hope to get the cooperation of the Hon’ble MLAs in this war against Covid.

Since more than a year, we have all been facing the Covid-19 pandemic situation. The State government has been effectively tackling all the unique challenges due to this public health crisis.

India is in the midst of the severe second wave of the pandemic and its devastating effects. Odisha has also seen increasing cases in this second wave since more than a month. With the cooperation of the people of Odisha and the blessings of Lord Jagannath, we have been able to manage the situation overall and provide critical health care to the patients. Our system has responded well without getting overwhelmed like in other parts of the country. Our administration and medical personnel have been working round the clock and making all arrangements to take care of this wave of infections. They deserve our sincere appreciation for managing the situation in spite of all odds, the Chief Minister further said.

“Our Government has been closely observing the situation in other parts of the country and based on their experience we have been taking proactive steps. The health care facilities have been quickly ramped up and a larger number of ICU/HDU beds have been established this time, compared to the first wave. Similarly, the oxygen supported beds have been established across the districts”.

To ensure error-free medical oxygen supply, we are closely monitoring the huge logistics involved in deploying the oxygen cylinders, refilling and transportation in time. We are establishing oxygen plants within the main hospitals. We are importing large number of oxygen cylinders since there is short supply in the country. We are ensuring sufficiency in terms of oxygen and critical medicines.

At the same time, we have also been supporting other States for their oxygen requirements, which has been widely appreciated. It’s a matter of pride for us that Odisha is able to help other States in this crisis time and save precious lives. To further strengthen the oxygen management and to prepare a Master plan for the State, I am announcing a Taskforce that will look at immediate needs as well as holistic planning for future exigencies, he said.

“We are also increasing our Medical manpower. We have recruited 786 doctors and 5137 paramedics and this will strengthen our fight. We are in the process of contractual recruitment of more medical personnel”.

Odisha is providing the testing-to-treatment free-of-cost and a unique model of partnering with the Private hospitals to provide free quality Covid care. This has been the main reason for early hospitalization of the critical patients and one of the lowest mortality rates in the country.

It is expected that there will be more waves of this virus infection. We have to be prepared for the long-drawn battle. Vaccination is our main strategy to fight the virus. In view of the vaccine supply issues in the country, we have floated a global tender to try and procure quickly the vaccines to protect our people. We have also formed a high-level advisory committee to guide the State in its fight against the virus, he said.

In the past, Odisha faced many challenges with courage and determination and with all your support this challenge also we will face it and come out successful.

“Every life is precious” would continue to be our guiding principle and the State will leave no stone unturned in saving lives of people, the CM added.