Haryana rolls out telemedicine services

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday said the State government has decided to roll-out telemedicine services in the State from today onward to provide better access to healthcare services to those people who are unable to visit hospitals.

Apart from this, COVID-19 hospitals have been set up at 14 places with bed strength of 3,000. He informed that this during a video conferencing of Chief Ministers of States addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from New Delhi. At Chandigarh here today, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala and Health Minister Anil Vij were also present on this occasion.

The Chief Minister suggested that though at present there is adequate stock of PPE Kits in the State and orders for additional 2.50 lakh such kits have been placed, options for the import of more such kits should be considered. Emphasizing the need for rapid testing, he also suggested the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) should further augment the testing facilities to effectively combat the COVID-19.

He said that as compared to other States, the situation in Haryana is well under control. The non-government organisations (NGOs), other social organisations, volunteers and people of the State are extending full support to the State government in its fight against the Novel Corona Virus.

The Chief Minister said that about 13,500 people in the State have been kept under surveillance. The samples of 817 people who have come in contact with positive coronavirus patients have been taken out of which 546 samples are found negative. He said that at present there are only 20 positive cases in the state which are under treatment as out of the 33 positive cases, 13 patients have been discharged from the hospitals.

He said that the State government has taken several steps to provide relief to the people especially poor in this time of need. About 13.50 lakh construction workers are being provided financial assistance at the rate of Rs 1000 per week. He said that while an amount of Rs 3000 crore has already been spent on providing relief, a provision of the additional Rs 1500 crore has been made for this month.

The Chief Minister said that in view of the harvesting season, farmers in the State have been advised to store crop in their home as the State Government would make an arrangement of marketing of their produce in a staggered way.