Haryana CM announces to launch telemedicine services, bats for more COVID-19 testing facilities

Haryana has decided to roll out telemedicine services for people who cannot visit hospitals due to the nationwide lockdown, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said during a video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. At the conference of chief ministers on the coronavirus threat, Khattar also urged stepping up testing facilities to detect the infection.

He said the state government has decided to begin the telemedicine services with immediate effect. Telemedicine allows doctors to diagnose and treat patients using video conferencing and other forms of telecommunication.

Khattar stressed the need for rapid testing and suggested that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) should expand testing facilities to better combat the infection. The CM said the state government has already designated hospitals with an accumulated capacity of 3,000 beds at 14 places for COVID-19 patients.

Thirty-five people have tested positive for coronavirus in Haryana with one death in the state. Khattar also listed listed out the steps taken for the safety of the medical staff involved in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak.

Though at present the state government has adequate personal protection equipment (PPE) kits for them, an order has been placed for around 2.5 lakh such protective gear, he said. He, however, suggested that the option of importing such kits should also be considered.

He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Rs 1.70 lakh crore relief package announced by the Centre in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, adding that the state has already spent Rs 3,000 crore on providing relief and a provision of additional Rs 1,500 crore has been made for the current month. The state government has ensured the continuity in the supply chain of all essential commodities, including medicines, he said, claiming that Haryana has so far been successful in controlling the community transmission of the disease.

On the issue of migrant workers, Khattar said relief camps have been set up in the state with basic facilities. At present, around 13,000 migrant workers have taken shelter in these camps, wherein counselling services have also been provided, Khattar claimed.

Each of the 13.50 lakh construction workers is being provided a financial assistance of Rs 1,000 per week, the chief minister added. Television has also been provided at a few camps, he said, adding that people in the camps are also being encouraged to practise yoga, meditation and take part in recreational activities.

Apart from this, state government employees have contributed over Rs 100 crore for the fight against the virus, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday told chief ministers through the videoconference that to check the spread of the novel coronavirus, testing, tracing, isolation and quarantine should remain the focus in the next few weeks.

He said it is necessary to ensure the availability of separate and dedicated hospital facilities for COVID-19 patients. Modi told the chief ministers that it is important to formulate a common strategy to ensure the staggered re-emergence of the population once the lockdown ends.

Later in the day, the chief minister interacted with MPs from the state and Speaker and deputy Speaker of Haryana Assembly through video conference. Khattar told them that in view of COVID-19 pandemic his government is considering to take the services of AYUSH doctors to ensure uninterrupted availability of quality health care to the people, an official statement said.

The chief minister said online training would be provided to the AYUSH doctors, according to the statement. Khattar said even PM Modi, during his conference with chief ministers, had emphasized on roping in AYUSH doctors to meet the shortage of medical professionals that may arise during the pandemic, the statement read.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)