Odisha mulls NDRF-like health disaster management training facility to fight COVID-19

Jharsuguda: In battle against novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Odisha government is mulling over setting up an NDRF-like health disaster management training facility in the state.

A proposal has been made to establish an NDRF-type Health Disaster Management Training Centre to impart training to doctors, paramedics, nurses and wealth workers to face any kind of health crisis may take place in near future, informed Health & Family Welfare Minister Naba Kishore Das following an inter-ministerial meeting held through a video conferencing programme today.

At the meeting, discussion was held on many subjects to tackle spread of COVID-19 in the state.

“We stressed on setting up an immunity research centre to carry out study on taking preventive against the disease. Also, we discussed a proposal on establishing an industry to manufacture medical equipment to improve healthcare system in the state,” Das told media.

He said that Odisha has achieved the target in testing 1000 samples a day for detection of deadly virus in persons.

“A few days ago, we were testing 100 samples. Now we are testing 1000-1200 samples, a sharp increase in testing capacity. We have decided to expand the capacity to 2000-3000 samples a day,” he said.

Speaking on enhancing the sample testing capacity in western Odisha, he said that only machine has been installed at VIMSAR in Burla to test COVID-19 samples. He has demanded the NIT Director to install two more testing machines so that 100 samples can be tested a day at the medical institution.

He sought permission from the Centre for sample testing in all the medical colleges across Odisha.

Talking about a proposal for mass sample testing, he said, “We hope to implement a pool test for COVID-19 allowing to expand current screening capacity and detection of virus in the community.”