Dharmendra Seeks Upgradation Of Talcher MCL Hospital Into Covid Centre

Bhubaneswar: In view of the steady surge in Covid-19 cases in Odisha, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday drew the attention of Ministry of Mines to convert the Nehru Satabdi Central Hospital (NSCH) run by Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) at Talcher in Angul district into a dedicated Covid hospital with ICU, ventilators and other required facilities.

In a letter to Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi, Pradhan sought his personal intervention for establishment of necessary arrangements for Covid patients in Angul at the MCL hospital.

The Union Minister said there are limited treatment facilities in Angul for covid-19 patients even as the positive cases are rising day by day. Keeping in view the unprecedented surge in positive cases, it is essential to operationalize and supplement critical medical infrastructure in the region.

“I therefore seek your personal intervention in declaring NSCH, MCL as Covid Hospital with ICU facilities, and also issuing necessary permission to officials of MCL for making urgent arrangements for 100 number of ventilators at the hospital in order to provide medical care to the rapidly growing number of Covid-19 patients in Anugul district and its surrounding areas,” Pradhan’s letter read.

The said healthcare unit was functioning as a Covid hospital during the first wave of the pandemic in the district.

“Due to the explosive resurgence of Covid-19 cases in the region, it is critical to grant emergency permission for supplementing Covid-19 care at NSCH, Talcher,” Pradhan mentioned in the letter.
The Petroleum Minister further stated that Angul district continues to witness steady rise in Covid positive cases. At the time of writing the letter, the district had 453 active cases and is recording around 81 new cases every day, Pradhan noted.

Meanwhile, Angul district witnessed 173 fresh cases in last 24 hours even as the State reported 6215 new cases during the period.

While 3604 positives have been detected from quarantine, 2611 cases are local contacts.

(Edited By Suryakant Jena)