Hockey World Cup: Health dept reviews Covid situation ahead of sports carnival

With hockey fever gripping Odisha, the state government has come up with special testing facilities at Rourkela and Bhubaneswar to deal with Covid situations during FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup.

The Health Department on Tuesday held a review meeting chaired by Health Minister Naba Das to take stock of the current Covid situation especially in the Steel City and the state capital.

In the meeting, the Minister was informed that though corona testing is in progress, positivity rate is very less in the state. No Covid cases have been detected in last 10 days in Jharsuguda and Sundargarh districts. 

“We held a review meeting in the presence of Commissioner and MD of National Health Mission. As per the decision, mobile health units and special teams of doctors will be deployed at match venues to meet any sort of health-related eventuality. Besides, emergency ambulance services will be in place.” 

Health Secretary Salini Pandit said, “There will be first-aid centre inside the hockey stadiums to provide immediate treatment to the needy. Besides, mobile medical units and emergency ambulance service will be made available near the hockey stadiums.”  

The meeting was held at the Collector’s office at Jharsuguda which was attended by Health Secretary Salini Pandit, Jharsuguda Collector Saroj Kumar Samal, Sundargarh Collector Gavali Parag Harshad and health officials of both the districts.