Bhubaneswar: Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Odisha government today increased the retirement age of doctors from 62 years to 65 years.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced the increase in the retirement age of Medical Officers of OHMS cadre as well as the Allopathic Insurance Medical Officers under L & ESI Department.

After a review meeting of the COVID-19 situation in Khordha and Cuttack districts, the Chief Minister announced allocation of Rs 15 crore each for both the districts for COVID management.

Also the government has sanctioned Rs 20.64 crore from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for running of new dedicated Covid hospitals and Covid Care Centres for next three months in Khordha and Cuttack districts, the Chief Minister informed.

A 150-bed (including 30 bed ICU) dedicated Covid Hospital will be setup in Khordha district by Aditya Ashwini Hospital. Another dedicated Covid Hospital in Nilachal Hospital with 126 beds and 15 ICU beds will be operational this week.

With active partnership of MLAs, community, religious organisations, resident welfare associations and NGOs, and Corporates, a total of 1385 beds in Covid Care Homes will be established soon.

Patnaik said special focus is on the slum areas to contain the spread of the virus. The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) will appreciate and incentivise the good work done by the slum committees, he said.

The CM further said additional 925 beds in Covid hospitals and Covid Care Centres are being established in Cuttack district.

“Special focus is on the congested areas in Cuttack city through active involvement of Puja Committees and Sahi Committees,” he said.

A training and information centre on Covid-19 will be operational at SCB Medical College soon.
The Molecular Genome Lab in SCB, Cuttack will be upgraded for viral and human host genome sequencing to predict the prognosis of Covid-19 patients, the CM said.

More than one lakh people have returned back from outside the State in Khordha and Cuttack districts.

“In spite of the large influx of migrants, the situation is under control with recovery rate of 70% in Khordha and 71% in Cuttack, which is much above the National average of 63%,” he informed.

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