ASSAM BUILDING 700-BED QUARANTINE FACILITY
As the number of Covid-19 cases rises in the country, authorities in states are beginning to take measures to contain the spread of coronavirus. Although Assam is yet to report a positive Covid-19 case, the Assam government is going ahead with establishing a 700-bed quarantine facility at the Sarusajai sport complex to fight the global pandemic. Taking to twitter, Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the isolation facility will be ready within a week. “A large quarantine centre will be established at the Sarosajai Sports complex, Guwahati, with a capacity for about 700 people. This morning visited the site to take stock of preparedness and the facility. It shall be ready in a week’s time,” Sarma tweeted.
The Assam government has also created a new 30bed state-of-the-art ICU with ventilation at the Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) and earmarked 150 beds at the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH) exclusively for Covid-19 patients. . Along with the above measures, IDSP hospital at Guwahati’s Kalapahar, Model Hospital at Singimari, and the Government Ayurvedic College hospital will also be used for coronavirus treatment. The Chabua-based TATA Referral Hospital has also volunteered to run corona specific treatment.in a facebook post chalking out strategy for private hospitals to fight against coronavirus, Himanta Biswa Sarma said: “I discussed with owners of private hospitals of Guwahati about how they can share the burden along with government hospitals. I suggested that while government hospitals can be restricted for Covid-19 patients, regular patients can be sent to them for which we will reimburse. Hopefully something would work out.”
The Assam government has also ensured that people entering Assam from other states or abroad are being stamped and made to undergo home quarantine. “We are keeping strict vigilance on those who are coming from other states or abroad. Anyone who doesn’t comply to government order will be charged. To ensure this, district administration has issued a Whatsapp number to lodge complain against those violating 14day quarantine,” a district health official told The Sunday Guardian.