Odisha Govt To Set Up COVID Care Home In Each Panchayat

Bhubaneswar: In view of the steady rise in the number of COVID positive cases in Odisha, the state government in its renewed strategy to curb the spread of the virus has decided to set up COVID Care Home facility in each panchayat.

Announcing the new strategy on Wednesday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said arrangements will be made to accommodate 10-12 persons in the COVID Care Home in a panchayat so that around 70,000 people in the rural areas are accommodated in about 7000 COVID Care Homes.

“People having symptoms of cough, cold, and fever will be kept in the COVID Care Home instead of referring them to any government or private hospitals. The swabs of these people, during their stay, will be taken for a test. Any person tested positive for the virus will be sent to the COVID hospital and if tested negative, will be sent to the home for treatment,” he added.

The Chief Minister further said that for the decentralisation of COVID management, committees will be formed at the ward level in each urban and village locality. The committee will comprise the ward member, ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) and Anganwadi workers, ANM (Auxiliary Nurse Midwife), and a Woman SHG (Self Help Group) member. The committee will be provided with special powers under the Epidemic Disease Control Act.

Stating that Village Welfare Committees will remain in charge of the COVID Management Committee, the Chief Minister said each committee will have a maximum expenditure of Rs 10,000. However, the Sarpanchs will look after the COVID Care Homes and temporary medical centres (TMCs). They will be given special administrative and financial powers.

The Chief Minister said the ward level committee in the urban areas will be managed by the concerned ward officers. Local people and volunteers will be members of the committee. The committee will do a door-to-door health survey and take the necessary steps accordingly. The committee will lay more emphasis on the slum areas and set up COVID Care Homes in bigger slums, he pointed out.