Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday inaugurated a 100-bedded Maternity and Child Health Wing of Kanaklata Civil Hospital in Tezpur.
This wing will be converted to a COVID-19 treatment facility bolster Assam government’s fight against COVID-19.
The 100-bedded MCH wing along with accommodation for staff is located at Paruwa in Tezpur has been built at a total cost of Rs. 21.86 crore.
It will, however, at the moment be used as a COVID-19 treatment facility to treat asymptomatic patients in Sontipur 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.
Earlier, Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Defence Research Laboratory and inaugurated the newly-created DRL Centre for COVID-19 testing facilities.
He was briefed by DRL director SK Dwivedi and his team of scientists.
The Assam government has initiated efforts with DRDO and ICMR to develop DRL-DRDO, Tezpur as one of the recognised centres for COVID-19 sample testing.
The health minister 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.