Shimla : Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur inaugurated Makeshift Covid-19 Hospital at Pandoga in Haroli Vidhan Sabha area of Una district constructed at a cost of Rs 1.05 crore virtually from Shimla today.Speaking on the occasion, Jai Ram Thakur said that this 140 bedded Makeshift Covid-19 hospital would go a long way in providing best treatment to the Covid-19 patients nearer to their homes. He said that this hospital has been constructed in a record time of one month. He said that this hospital would provide uninterrupted oxygen supply to the Covid patients.Chief Minister said that after the second wave of this pandemic, the State Government gave special focus on increasing and strengthening the health infrastructure in the State. He said that the State Government has increased the storage capacity of oxygen by over 26 MT and as many as 8 PSA Oxygen Plants have been made functional. He said that apart from this, 12 new PSA Oxygen Plants were also coming up in different parts of the State. He said that three Oxygen Plants were also coming up at Shri Lal Bhadur Shastri Government Medical College Ner Chowk Mandi, Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Medical College Chamba and Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College Tanda under CSR.Jai Ram Thakur said that another 500 LPM capacity PSA Oxygen Plant was being setup at Civil Hospital Palkwaha by Nestle India Ltd. He said that earlier there was only one oxygen plant in the State at IGMC Shimla whereas today the State was almost self-sufficient in medical oxygen supply. He also thanked Union Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs Anurag Singh Thakur for providing two PSA plants at Ghumarwin in Bilaspur district and Hamirpur having capacity of 140 PSA each.
Chief Minister said that the State Government was endeavouring to set up Oxygen plants in all the major hospitals in the State. He said that the State Government was also ensuring that the vaccination campaign also goes smoothly in the State. He said that the Himachal Pradesh was one of the few States in the country that has achieved target of zero percent wastage of vaccine. He said that as many as 24.23 lakh doses of vaccine have been administered to people in the State till date.Union Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs Anurag Singh Thakur while addressing virtually thanked the Chief Minister for constructing a Makeshift Hospital in his parliamentary area, which would provide better treatment facilities to the Covid-19 patients of the area. He said that under the able leadership of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, the State has effectively succeeded in increasing the health infrastructure in the State. He said that the bed capacity has been increased from about 1200 to over 5000. He said that work on upcoming PSA plants must be expedited and completed at the earliest. He said that it was unfortunate that vaccine doses were being wasted in Congress ruled States of Punjab and Rajasthan. Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Virender Kanwar while addressing virtually said that it was due to the efforts of the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur that the State was able in tackling the first Covid-19 wave in the State successfully and was also effectively fighting the second wave. He said that Himachal Pradesh was probably the only State in India where there were adequate beds and oxygen for Covid patients. Vice Chairman State Industrial Development Corporation Prof. Ram Kumar welcomed the Chief Minister and thanked him for dedicating this Makeshift Hospital for people of the area.Deputy Commissioner Una Raghav Sharma presented vote of thanks. He said that total oxygenated bed capacity in the district has now been increased to over 261 beds. MLA Chintpurni Balbir Chaudhary and Secretary Health Amitabh Awasthi were present at Shimla with the Chief Minister, whereas Superintendent of Police Una Archit Sen was present at Una among others.