BHUBANESWAR: As coronavirus posed a major threat to the people, Governor Ganeshi Lal and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday called for a collective fight against the deadly virus.
Praising the state government for its proactive measures, the Governor said it is a collective responsibility of all the citizens to help contain the spread of the virus.
“Odisha has proven itself time and again by successfully overcoming natural disasters and becoming a model for others in disaster management. The State will set an example by effectively tackling coronavirus epidemic,” the Governor said.
Requesting the people not to panic the Governor said, “We must take a lesson out of it and change our action and lifestyle for a peaceful coexistence with the nature.”In his message, the Chief Minister allayed fears among the people about quarantine or home isolation saying coronavirus is highly contagious like chickenpox.
People suffering from chickenpox were kept in isolation in house to stop the spread of the disease. The coronavirus is not only infectious but there is no medicine so far to treat the disease. “We should follow the same principle as we did in case of chickenpox by keeping the coronavirus suspect in isolation to avoid contagion,” the CM said.
Advising the people not to be scared but careful, the Chief Minister said “Successful mitigation lies in our own hands and we should tackle it without panicking.”He said the State Government is in all readiness to tackle the problem at panchayat level.
The Government has identified buildings in 6,323 out of 6,797 panchayats to use as a temporary medical camp if need arises. The department has sanctioned `5 lakh for this purpose.
Similarly, 261 buildings have been identified in 97 urban local bodies (ULBs) for treatment of people suspected to have been affected by the virus.
The Government has decided to supply live saving drugs to all government hospitals and public health centres and there is adequate stocks of medicines like paracetamol and ORS with auxiliary nursing midwifery (ANM) and Asha workers for preliminary treatment.