Rs 880 cr to be spent on COVID-19 vaccination of people above 18 years in Haryana: Khattar

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday informed that about 1.1 crore people above the age of 18 years will be administered COVID-19 vaccination across the state from May 1 and an amount of Rs 880 crores would be spent on the vaccine administration, which would be borne by his government.

Registration for the vaccination would start from April 28, 2021.

The Chief Minister said this while presiding over the meeting of the state-level COVID Monitoring Committee held in Chandigarh today.

The Chief Minister said that the administration of vaccination in the government hospitals would be done free of cost, while in private hospitals people would have to pay some amount for getting the vaccination.

He said that in view of the spurt in COVID-19 cases across the country and the state, an appeal would be made to corporate houses to get their workers and labourers vaccinated while bearing the expenses.

The Chief Minister said that the number of beds has been increased in various hospitals of the state. Besides this, directions have been given to make an arrangement of about 1000 Oxygen beds in PGI Rohtak and 1250 Oxygen beds in other hospitals of Medical colleges so that patients do not face any problem due to bed shortage, according to an official release.

He said that apart from these directions, doctors and other staff are being deputed from the Army, out of which arrangement of 200 beds will be made at Atal Bihari Hospital. Besides this, private hospitals have also been directed to reserve up to 50 per cent of beds for COVID-19 patients. The OPD timings in government hospitals have been limited so that priority can be given to the COVID patients, he added.

The Chief Minister said that work from home in all the government departments of the State would be encouraged as per the need and requirement.

Apart from this, in the departments, where the office work can be handled from home, there the employees have been directed to work from home. Also, in view of increasing COVID-19 cases in various districts of the State like Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, private offices have been asked to ensure that their maximum employees start working from home.

The Chief Minister said that now the number of gathering in any social and family events has been fixed at 50 persons, while at cremation a gathering of not more than 20 persons would be allowed.

He informed that all the District Deputy Commissioners have been authorised to take other decisions including imposing Section 144 as per requirement, fixing the minimum number of employees in government offices located in their respective districts, creating a containment zone, and ensuring that there is no overcrowding.

He further announced that Additional Chief Secretary, Power Department, PK Das has been appointed as the State Nodal Officer to monitor the situation in the hospitals across the State.

During the meeting, Home and Health Minister, l Vij said that final-year students studying in medical colleges should also be deputed in hospitals amid the COVID-19 Pandemic. Apart from this, as many as 417 ICU beds and oximeters are being purchased and committees have been formed in the districts.

It was informed that the Home Minister has also issued directions to the officers concerned regarding the reactivation of plasma banks that was created earlier in the state so that patients can be benefited from them as per the need and requirement.

l Vij said that a request has been made to the Central Government to increase the state's quota of oxygen to 200 MT.

"Presently in Haryana, 162 MT of oxygen is being supplied. A special train with about 6000 MT of oxygen would also be provided from Bokaro Steel Plant so that people do not face any kind of shortage. With this, the small scale industries of the state have also been directed to convert industrial oxygen into medical oxygen," said Vij.

( With inputs from ANI )