GUWAHATI, May 13: Assam government is now planning to have oxygen plants in all the civil hospitals of the state, after augmenting oxygen capacity in the state’s medical colleges.
State health minister Keshab Mahanta announced on Thursday that all civil hospitals in Assam will have their own oxygen plants in a month’s time.
The minister made the announcement during a visit to the Swahid Mukunda Kakati Civil Hospital at Nalbari where he had a detailed discussion with medical professionals and authorities on the COVID situation and functioning of the hospital.
Meanwhile, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has directed the health department to conduct one lakh COVID tests daily to detect positive cases early.
He also asked the department to procure 50 lakh Rapid Antigen Test kits to intensify testing.
Further, the chief minister directed the department to increase institutional quarantine, micro containment zones and COVID Care Centres in a bid to arrest surging COVID-19 cases.
Moreover, with a view to tackle the pandemic in a humane way, the chief minister instructed to provide free food to poor people of the containment zones for two weeks.
He also called for ramping up health infrastructure and ensuring adequate stock of Remdesivir injections.