CM: Health infra didn’t collapse during Covid

‘Doorstep ration delivery, health cards for all soon’

New Delhi, Jan. 25: The AAP government will launch doorstep delivery of the ration scheme by March and provide health cards to everyone in the city by the yearend, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Monday.

Speaking at a Republic Day function organised by the city government, he noted that Delhi faced an extreme level of coronavirus pandemic, but its health system did not collapse due to reforms in recent years and better management.

“I am glad that by March this year, our dream initiative of doorstep delivery of ration will be launched. Neatly packed wheat or its flour and rice will be delivered to your homes. You will not have to go to shops and stand in queues. I think this will be a revolutionary step in changing the entire ration system,” Mr Kejriwal said.

Commending the role of hospitals, doctors, nurses and paramedical staff during the pandemic, he announced providing health cards to Dehiites by year-end.

“We are going to issue health cards for the people

of Delhi this year. It will have all medical records of a person, and online or telephonic appointment with doctors will end waiting in queues,” he said.

The chief minister said the Health Information Management System (HIMS) will be completed this year with the integration of government hospitals first. Later, private hospitals will be added to it, he said.

mR Kejriwal noted that although Delhi faced an extreme stage of COVID19 when the number of infected persons rose to 8,500 on November 11 last

year, the health system of the city did not collapse like in many developed countries.

In many developed countries and cities like New York, the health infrastructure collapsed, but in Delhi measures like home isolation prevented such a situation.

Over 3.12 lakh people recovered under home isolation that was started first in Delhi, he said.

Delhi was also the first in the world to open a plasma bank. So far, 4,929 people have received plasma therapy in the national capital, he said.

— PTI Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal presents an award to headwarder of Tihar Central Jail No. 5, Shahid Ahmed, during the state level Republic Day celebrations at Delhi Secretariat in New Delhi on Monday.