Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has begun preparations in advance to tackle the possible third wave of COVID-19. The Health and Family Welfare department is working towards increasing the number of vaccine doses and adding infrastructure hospitals to provide adequate care to children and adolescents.
Health Minister Naba Das said a target has been to increase the number of vaccinations from 2 lakh per day to 3 lakh by the end of this month.
“We have set the June-end target to increase the vaccination doses to 3 lakh per days as vaccines are scheduled to reach the state before that time after Centralised vaccine procurement process,” he added.
Meanwhile, a committee of experts has been formed to advise government and supervise the operations related to COVID.
As per the direction of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, SOPs have been issued to district collectors, chief district medical officers and PHOs asking them to remain prepared for the possible third wave that is likely to affect children and adolescents.
Informing about the bed capacity, the Minister said 2,390 beds are available in COVID hospitals, medical colleges and CCUs for treatment of children. Facilities like 610 ICU, HDU and NICU beds are also available, he added.
The hospitals have also been directed to stock oxygen and medicines, he added.
