Hope we get rid of COVID-19 this year, says Kejriwal

After hoisting the Tricolour at Delhi Secretariat on the eve 72nd Republic Day, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday termed the COVID-19 pandemic as difficult phase and hoped that "we will get rid of the virus this year".

"I hope this year we will get rid of COVID-19. It was a difficult phase. People lost jobs, it was tough for the government too as no tax was received and we wondered how to pay salaries to our employees," Kejriwal said.

On the COVID-19 situation in Delhi, he said: "In developed countries, patients were lying on floors in corridors, we studied it and understood that everyone who got sick was taken to hospital, even those with mild symptoms. Doctors in Delhi came up with 'home isolation' and more than 3 lakh people recovered from the virus."

The Chief Minister further said that his government aims to provide health-card to every citizen living in the national capital. The health card will contain the entire record of the health history of an individual, including details of medical tests.

Last year in November, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had convened a meeting and directed the health officials to ensure the implementation of the Health Information Management System (HIMS) and e-Health card in the hospitals run by the Delhi government.

The Health Information Management System (HIMS) will be implemented to provide effective healthcare services to the residents of Delhi, in the most efficient manner, through technologically empowered healthcare processes.

( With inputs from ANI )