Odisha BJP MLAs Demand Rural COVID Surveillance On War Footing

Bhubaneswar: The MLAs of the Opposition BJP in Odisha on Friday wrote a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik demanding immediate steps to arrest the rapid spread of COVID19 in rural areas and in the tribal belts of the State.

The BJP MLAs who shot off a letter to the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in this connection are party’s Chief Whip in Odisha Assembly Mohan Charan Majhi, Mukesh Mahaling, K Narayana Rao and Prakash Soren.

Raising concern over the rapid spread of COVID19 in the rural areas, the MLAs put forth a 10 point demand before the Patnaik, which are as follows:

- To strengthen the infrastructure of existing sub-centers/PHC/CHC and facilitate testing and tracing.

- To provide at least 20 beds at all rural CHCs for emergency COVID treatment.

- To employ doctors and other medical and para-medical staff in all the district level Covid Care Centres.

- To prioritise ICU beds and beds with ventilators in rural areas.

- To appoint operators and medical staff to operate ventilators and oxygen supply in CHCs and PHCs on war footing.

- To fill the vacant doctor positions in rural areas.

- To reactivate the defunct Temporary Medical Centres (TMC) and quarantine centres in villages.

- To create awareness among villagers through COVID Crisis Management Committee and ramp up vaccination drive.

- To reveal real data on COVID deaths without trying to manipulate.

- To take steps to check the spread of Coronavirus through scientific approach