Delhi Cabinet approves a budget of Rs 1,544 crore to bolster health systems

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NEW DELHI: The Kejriwal Government is leaving no stone unturned in its battle against COVID-19. The Delhi Cabinet under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has approved a budget of Rs 1,544 crore to bolster health systems. In this direction, Delhi’s fight against COVID-19 will get stronger after Delhi Cabinet’s nod to the state’s own ‘Emergency COVID Response Package’.

This budget will be spent on further enhancing testing and labs, procuring supplies, mobilizing additional human resources, increasing health facilities in the hospitals and managing Covid Care Centres among others. The CM said that as a responsible government, we are taking all measures and steps necessary in this fight against COVID. He added that in view of the advent of a possible wave of COVID, the Delhi Government is trying its best to strengthen its health systems and preparedness at every level. Health Minister Satyendar Jain said that this move will further enhance the management of resources in Delhi and prove to be crucial in the advent of any future wave of COVID. 

A cabinet meeting was held today at the Delhi Secretariat under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. In this meeting all the ministers of the Kejriwal Government including Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Health Minister Satyendar Jain along with the Chief Secretary were present. The cabinet was of the consensus that the corona is not over yet and a third wave can be expected. Thus, in this fight against COVID-19, there should not be any hesitations with respect to the control and prevention of the spread of COVID-19. In this direction, the Delhi Cabinet unanimously approved a budget of Rs 1544.24 crore for the State ECRP 2021-22 to further strengthen the fight against Corona.

Trying our best to strengthen health systems of Delhi in view of the possible waves in the future: Kejriwal

Talking about the criticality of the move, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, “as a responsible government, we are taking all measures and steps necessary in this fight against COVID. In view of the advent of a possible wave of COVID, the Delhi Government is trying its best to strengthen its health systems and preparedness at every level.”

Health Minister Satyendar Jain stressed upon the need for the state’s own package to combat COVID and said, “As a caring and sensitive administration, the Kejriwal Government is going head to head against COVID in order to protect the people of Delhi. We are now further bolstering our battle against the Coronavirus through the State Emergency COVID Response Package. This package will further enhance the management of resources in Delhi and prove to be crucial in the advent of any future wave  of COVID.”

The Kejriwal Government has now taken necessary steps to prepare a State ECRP which will allow expenditure on all the long term & short term activities to manage COVID-19 in Delhi as per the plans and policies of the Delhi Government. For the fiscal year 2021-22, a total budget of Rs 1,544 crore has been allocated for the State ECRP. 

Testing, Labs, Covid Care Centres, Hospitals to be enhanced monumentally under the State ECRP

Of the total budget Rs 415 Crores will be used for the strengthening of COVID-19 Testing and Labs. Rs 445 Crores will be allotted for Procurement of Supplies. A budget of Rs 280 Crore will help bolster Health Facilities and Hospitals along with an amount of Rs 125 Crores that will aid the Management of Covid Care Centres. 

Kejriwal Government’s State Level Task Force to making preparations to battle the next possible wave of COVID-19

It is noteworthy that Delhi has experienced four waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, which include two minor peaks, but as per the national perception, there were only two major COVID-19 case surges in India. The last surge of COVID-19 cases during April 2021-June 2021 was the biggest. The experts are anticipating a third wave of COVID-19 cases in India, including Delhi, bigger than the earlier surges of COVID-19 cases. The Delhi Government in that view had constituted a State Level Task Force under State Nodal Officer and several task based sub committees to prepare for management of probable third wave of COVID-19 in Delhi.

Over 6800 beds being added to government hospitals

The Kejriwal Government is committed to enhancing the infrastructure of Delhi Government’s hospitals. The health infrastructure of the city is being strengthened on a rapid scale, and the focus is on high-quality treatment that is easily accessible to all the people of Delhi. 6836 ICU beds will be added in 7 hospitals in Delhi. After which the capacity of ICU beds in Delhi will increase to seventeen thousand. The Cabinet had given its approval to this project under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The new beds will be set up at Sarita Vihar, Shalimar Bagh, Sultanpuri, Kirari, Raghubir Nagar, GTB Hospital and Chacha Nehru Children's Hospital. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that there are about 10,000 ICU beds in government hospitals in Delhi. With the addition of new 6800 beds, the capacity of ICU beds will increase by almost 70 percent. In the same prospect, the addition of these beds will not only ramp up the ICU bed facilities by 70% but also be monumental in achieving the target of 37,000 beds in the state.

Kejriwal government making Delhi self-sufficient in terms of oxygen

Despite a sharp drop in the rate of COVID in Delhi, the Kejriwal government is working on a war footing to strengthen the health infrastructure in view of its potential threat. In view of the previous oxygen crisis in Delhi, the Kejriwal government is making its government hospitals self-sufficient in the matter of oxygen. The Kejriwal government has taken a pledge that there will be no shortage of oxygen in any hospital in Delhi. The Delhi government is setting up PSA oxygen plants in Delhi hospitals to reduce the dependence of hospitals on taking oxygen from outside and other hospitals can also refill oxygen cylinders from these plants during emergencies. During the last wave of Corona, the demand for oxygen in Delhi had increased and many hospitals had to deal with the shortage of oxygen. In order that such a situation does not arise during any crisis in future, the Kejriwal government is making Delhi self-sufficient in the matter of oxygen. 73 PSA plants with a capacity of 77.80 MT are being installed in Delhi Government hospitals. All the plants will be commissioned by the end of November 2021.

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