Will pool all resources to ensure healthcare for children: Naveen

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday said as per his government’s basic principle of ‘Every life is precious, his government will pool all available resources to ensure proper healthcare to children.

While launching a training programme for doctors on paediatric care on virtual platform, Naveen said, “We have to be extremely cautious as there have been reports of possible third wave and it has a high probability of impact on children. It’s going to be a real challenge, if such a situation arises, and we need to be prepared.”

Stating that his government has approved an action plan to create infrastructure including equipment and medicine for paediatric care, he said training of the doctors for paediatric care is very important to ensure capacity to treat children.

Keeping an eye on the possible third wave, the state government has designed this training programme for general duty medical officers and nursing officers.

The Chief Minister further said that Covid-19 pandemic impact has been devastating across the world.  Many countries have been affected by multiple waves of the Covid infection. India has also been severely affected by two waves of Covid infection.

“Since  more  than  one  year, Odisha  has  been  on  high alert, to  tackle  the  pandemic situation. We have taken pro-active steps to contain the spread of the virus,” he further said.

Saying that the State has established a large  network  of  government and  private Covid hospitals across  the districts to provide free quality  treatment to  the people, he thanked the  efforts of  all  the  doctors  and  healthcare  community  for ensuring  timely treatment to  the  Covid patients.

The CM said that the infection rate has currently come down and the situation is under control. However,  there  have been reports  of possible  third wave,  and  its  possible  impact  on  the  children, he added. 

He expressed happiness over the vertical capacity  building in the state   and for the administration rising  to  the  occasion, and  train  the  entire  range  of  health  staff, starting  from specialists  to  frontline functionaries within a short span of time.

The CM thanked the people of Odisha for cooperating and supporting the fight against this pandemic.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Secretary SC Mahapatra said that the state has been able to show great efforts in providing free treatments for Covid patients. This training programme will be hugely beneficial for doctors and paramedics, he added.

During the occasion, Patnaik also launched several Covid training capsules, awareness video and pocket book for frontline workers.  

Three doctors Sagar Dalai from Sundergarh, Sarat Chandra Samal from Ganjam and Udaya Jyoti Mallick from Cuttack interacted with the Chief Minister and spoke about the benefits of training for treating Covid patients.

They said that Odisha is the only state where oxygen is available at periphery medical facilities. A short video film on capacity building for Covid was screened.

Secretary to CM (5T) VK Pandian moderated the programme. Women & Child Development Principal Secretary and State Coordinator for capacity building for Covid, Anu Garg gave the welcome address and MD, IPICOL BS Poonia offered the vote of thanks.