Odisha Gears Up To Fight Covid-19 As The Biggest Challenge of the Century

Bhubaneswar: Everything was on track. Odisha’s economy was on a high growth trajectory. Governance was poised for transformation through Mo Sarkar initiative. Healthcare facilities were getting upgraded all over the state. The tourist places all over Odisha were being developed to provide best amenities. Puri, the cultural capital of Odisha was on the way of becoming the World Heritage City. The beginning of the year 2020 was about to usher in a year of development hitherto unknown. But the agenda was hampered when Covid-19, originated in China and spread like wildfire and played the spoilsport.

The challenge was taken head on by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik with alacrity and elan. Odisha’s fight against Covid-19 began well in time when the country was gearing up with various measures. As the disease was of foreign origin and the appropriate measures were required to be taken by the Center to contain it, a little was in the hands of the state government. Even the center had not issued a SOP to contain it. But, the government of Odisha was proactive in its efforts and took appropriate measures that helped in its fight against the virus.

Odisha registered its first case of Coronavirus in the first week of March and before that about twenty persons were tested but found negative. By then, the Odisha government had taken a number of important steps to curb the spread of the virus.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was constantly monitoring the situation and held discussions with officials on the pandemic issue and the measures to control the outbreak of the virus in the State. As testing is an important aspect in the fight against Coronavirus, the state government on March 3rd urged the center to set up two Coronavirus testing facilities in Odisha. It also demanded the Center for setting up of State-level quarantine facility to keep the patients in isolation.

On March 7th, in a statement issued, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said “Health and Family Welfare Department shall make emergency procurement of sufficient quantities of N95 masks, Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) health care personnel. Buffer stocks of essential drugs and surgical masks shall be maintained to meet the requirement of nine months. ”

On 13th March the Odisha Government declared COVID-19 a “disaster” under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and earmarked Rs 200 crore to deal with the outbreak. Educational institutions, cinemas, swimming pools and gyms have been ordered to remain closed till March 31.

Reviewing the measures taken to fight the coronavirus Naveen said “We are faced with a threat that does not discriminate between developed countries and underdeveloped countries, between democratic or non-democratic countries”.

“Rich and poor societies all are equally vulnerable. Each one of us in Odisha has to rise to the occasion and be responsible. In the absence of any vaccine or treatment, our collective responsibility is the only hope we have, to fight this epidemic, ” he said.

Naveen also urged people to remain calm. “We must remain prepared, but not panic,” he added. “This is where it is very important that the four and a half crore Odias join together and help us in managing the situation.” He, however, added that the world is on a “learning curve” about handling the pandemic.

As an important measure in the fight against Corona virus, Odisha government cancelled leave of all government officials in five districts. Keeping in view the susceptibility, Section 144 of the Cr. PC has been imposed in order to prevent crowding in Ganjam district. Malls and cinema halls in the state Capital Bhubaneswar were shut down from 16th March.
In another significant development, a decision was taken to screen visitors coming to Puri at a distance of seven km before being allowed.

The most important decision taken by the government of Odisha led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the initial days of the outbreak was to set up the country’s largest dedicated Covid-19 Hospitals. Agreements were signed with two biggest hospitals of the state – SUM and KIMS (Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences), to set up two hospitals with a total bed strength of 1,000 for treatment of coronavirus (COVID-19) patients — the first such initiative in the country. The dedicated hospitals will be only for treating COVID-19 cases.

Meanwhile, on humanitarian grounds, keeping in view the plight of migrant workers, the Chief Minister wrote letters to all his counterparts requesting them to provide shelter and food to Odisha’s migrant workers. He also assured unconditional assistance to people from other states who are stranded in Odisha.

To be Continued….