Maharashtra govt allots Rs 47 crore for Covid centres in 3 Marathwada districts

MUMBAI: The state relief and rehabilitation department on Tuesday released nearly Rs 47 crore to enhance healthcare infrastructure in the three districts of Marathwada.

An order issued by joint secretary Subhash Umranikar said Latur, home to medical education minister Amit Deshmukh, was sanctioned Rs 9.3 crore. Beed, home to social justice minister Dhananjay Munde, would receive Rs 12.1 crore. For Parbhani, the amount mentioned was Rs 25.5 crore.

An official said containment zones and Covid-19 centres had already been set up in these districts but it was felt that it would be better if more zones and Covid-19 centres were set up to tackle future requirements. “We felt that there was need to strengthen healthcare infrastructure in these districts. Therefore, a specific demand was submitted to the public health department. The proposal was approved after it was scrutinised by a high-level committee,” the official said.

District health officers have been given specific instructions to ensure that very limited quantities of emergency medicines are purchased. “We should purchase medicines only for ensuing 15 to 20 days, so that there is no surplus in view of the high cost of medicines,” the official said.

The relief and rehabilitation department will provide temporary accommodation, clothing, food and medical care, thermal scanners, meet the cost of consumables for sample collection, provide support for checking, screening and contact tracing, and provide PPE for essential staff,

and set up additional laboratories for conducting tests and ventilators.