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Madhya Pradesh seeks Army's help to manage burgeoning COVID-19 crisis; gets 430 beds

BPL people to get free food grains; big cities to have 2,000-bed hospitals

26-Shivraj-Singh-Chouhan Shivraj Singh Chouhan

As COVID-19 situation continues to worsen in Madhya Pradesh despite the 'corona curfew' in 27 of 52 districts since the past week, the state government sought help from the Army to manage the situation. The Army, on its part, has assured to provide 430 hospital and isolation beds in four cities of the state, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday.

Of these, 150 beds will be made available in Bhopal, 100 in Jabalpur and 40 each in Sagar and Gwalior at Army facilities. Army officials met the chief minister in Bhopal with the assurance, after the latter spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday morning.

The Army will also help in making oxygen facilities available and provide paramedical staff support to the government. Chouhan said the PM has also promise to provide adequate supply of medical oxygen, Remdesivir injections and other health facilities to the state.

Meanwhile, the state government has also decided to provide three months worth free food grains to people below poverty line (BPL). Besides, Ayurvedic concoction to boost immunity will be provided to two crore families, the CM said during a video conferencing with district collectors.

The decisions come amidst rising cases of COVID-19 and increasing deaths. On Monday, the state reported 12,897 fresh cases and 79 deaths. The number of active cases in the state has crossed the 75,000 mark.

The CM said during the meeting with collectors that 2,000-bed COVID-19 hospitals with support of voluntary organisations will be set up in big cities like Bhopal, Gwalior and Jabalpur on the lines of a hospital being set up by Radha Swami Satsang Nyas in Indore.

The CM asked the collectors to make decisions at their level and open as many COVID-19 centres in districts as required. Also, patients could be admitted to hospitals of central government and defence establishment facilities if required by holding discussions with managements of such establishments.

He asked the officers to ensure that people do not move around unnecessarily till April 30 so that infection chain is broken. The CM said people in home isolation should be provided medical counselling twice a day and free medicine kits should be ensured to all of them.

The past week has shown a massive spike in cases and number of deaths in the state. Between April 12 and 18, as many as 67,345 fresh cases were reported, with capital Bhopal contributing the highest 10,310 cases. Indore contributed 10,029 cases. In this duration, 375 deaths were reported, of which the highest (43) were reported in Indore, according to the official data. Bhopal reported 25 deaths while Jabalpur reported 40.

There have been allegations of under-reporting of deaths across the state, especially in Bhopal and Indore.

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