OUR CORRESPONDENT
TEZPUR: With an aim to bolster the Government's fight against COVID-19, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday inaugurated a 100-bedded Maternity and Child Health Wing of Kanaklata Civil Hospital in Tezpur which will be converted to a COVID-19 treatment facility. The 100-bedded MCH wing (G+2 storied RCC building) along with accommodation for staff located at Paruwa in Tezpur has been built at a total cost of Rs. 21.86 crore and the facility will become functional after its formal inauguration. It will, however, at the moment be used as a COVID-19 treatment facility to treat asymptomatic patients in Sonitpur district while symptomatic and more serious cases will be referred to Tezpur Medical College and Hospital, the other designated COVID-19 treatment facility in Sonitpur.
Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma was accompanied by Minister of state for Health & FW Pijush Hazarika, MP of Tezpur HPC, Pallab Lochan Das, MLA of Tezpur Brindabon Goswami, Sonitpur Deputy Commissioner Manavendra Pratap Singh and other senior health department officials.
Earlier, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma visited DRL- DRDO, Tezpur, Assam and inaugurated the newly-created DRL Centre for COVID-19 testing facilities and was briefed by Dr SK Dwivedi, Director, DRL and his team of scientists. Dr. Sarma appreciated the laboratory's contributions in the field water testing & purification, vector borne diseases & its management, biodegradation & waste treatment and border agriculture activities. The Assam Government has initiated efforts with DRDO and ICMR to develop DRL-DRDO, Tezpur as one of recognised centres for COVID 19 sample testing.
Himanta also held a meeting with medical superintendents and doctors at Tezpur Medical College and Hospital in the presence of Sonitpur district administration officials to discuss the preparedness to tackle COVID-19 in the district.