Private sector must have more Covid-19 testing facilities: Bihar CM

PATNA: Alarmed over exponential rise in positive cases of Covid-19 in the recent days, chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday asked officials to strengthen healthcare infrastructure in the state at a meeting held at his residence to review the functioning of the health department.
Nitish directed officials to complete all preparations in advance in view of the possibility of further increase in Covid-19 cases in the state due to more arrivals of migrants in next few days."If we do all preparations in advance, we will succeed in our fight against coronavirus," the CM said at the meeting. He also asked officials to increase the facility of Covid-19 testing in the private sector.
He asked the health department's principal secretary, Uday Singh Kumawat, to make available sufficient number of PPE kits, safety equipment, testing kits, oxygen cylinders available at all dedicated Covid hospitals. "Take all necessary steps to make these items available in sufficient numbers," the CM said and also asked health officials to increase the number of ventilators to meet future challenges.
Nitish said the state government has constructed many government buildings in various towns which can be used to keep suspected Covid cases. "All those new buildings which are yet to be occupied or made functional can be converted into isolation centres for suspected cases," he added.
Reiterating his advice to increase the testing capacity of covid-19, CM said maximum number of returning migrants should be tested for covid-19.
He further asked health officials to be alert in those districts which are affected by heat wave every year. He directed that necessary arrangements should be made in hospitals for treatment of people affected by heat wave.