16 Haj Houses given to state governments for quarantine, isolation facilities: Naqvi

Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Saturday that more than 1500 health care assistants, who have been trained under skill development programme of the ministry, were assisting in treatment coronavirus patients.

Naqvi said 16 Haj Houses across the country have been given to state governments for quarantine and isolation facilities for coronavirus-affected people.

Various state governments are utilising the facilities at these Haj Houses according to their needs.

He said health care assistants, who are helping in treatment of coronavirus patients in various hospitals and health care centres across the country, include 50 per cent girls.

The minister said more than 2000 other health care assistants will be trained by the ministry this year. It is providing one-year training to health care assistants through various health orgsations and reputed hospitals of the country.

According to an official release, Naqvi said citizens were working strongly and with unity to defeat challenge posed by coronavirus and people belonging to minority communities were equally contributing in the fight along with other sections of society.

He said the ministry will launch `Jaan Bhi, Jahan Bhi' awareness campaign to make the people aware of social distancing and other guidelines for safety from coronavirus.

The minister said different waqf boards across the country have contributed Rs 51 crore in PM and CM relief funds with support of various religious, social and educational orgsations.

Besides, the waqf boards were also distributing food and other essential commodities among the needy.

Naqvi said Aligarh Muslim University has contributed Rs 1.40 crore to "PM-CARES" fund.

AMU Medical College has arranged 100 beds for treatment of COVID-19 patients. AMU has also arranged coronavirus tests and more than 9000 tests have been done till now.

The minister said that quarantine and isolation facilities were arranged at Khwaja Model School and Kayad Vishramsthali at Ajmer Sharif Dargah for coronavirus affected people.

The dargah committee and its other associated orgsations provided facilities worth about Rs 1 crore which also included arrangements to send the people back to their states.

Naqvi said that face masks have been prepared on large scale under skill development programme of the ministry and were being distributed to the needy.

( With inputs from ANI )