COVID situation continues to be worse in Kerala, Centre allocates Rs 267.35 cr in emergency response package
Kerala on August 16 reported 50% of India’s new COVID-19 cases pushing the total infection count to 37.02 lakh, as the number of people succumbing to the disease rose to 18,743.
Centre on Monday announced that it has allocated a total of ₹267.35 crores to Kerala under Emergency COVID Response Package- II to strengthen the state’s health infrastructure.
The announcement comes after Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya met with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and state Health Minister Veena George to discuss the coronavirus situation in the state today. Mandaviya visited Kerala on Monday with a central team.
He further said that the Centre will ensure the creation of a Centre of Excellence that caters to Telemedicine Facilities in every district in Kerala. For prioritising the health of children, pediatric ICU to be established in district hospitals with 10 KL liquid oxygen storage tank facility, Mandaviya added.
Following the meeting, the health minister stated that Centre has allocated ₹267.35 crore to the state to strengthen its health infrastructure. Additionally, ₹1 crore would be made available to each district of Kerala for creating a medicine pool.
Some of the worst affected districts in the state are Malappuram 2681, Thrissur 2423, Kozhikode 2368, Ernakulam 2161, Palakkad 1771, Kannur 1257, Kollam 1093, Alappuzha 941, Kottayam 929 and Thiruvananthapuram 927.
The Union Health Minister will also be visiting Guwahati the next day where he will hold a review of cases and measures being taken to cut down the chain of transmission in the northeastern states. Health ministers of all northeastern states will attend the review meeting.
