BHUBANESWAR: Amidst the surge in Covid cases, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has appreciated Odisha Government for its efficient management, governance and decentralised approach by involving the panchayats.
A WHO article said early lockdown, establishment of dedicated Covid hospitals, temporary medical camps to manage migrant influx and community engagement were key takeaways of Odisha’s response strategy. The State recorded an impressive recovery rate and has one of the lowest mortality rates in the country, it said.
The global agency said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik ordered immediate closure of public places on March 13 even though the State had not reported a single case of Covid-19. Odisha was the first to establish one of the country’s biggest 1000-bed dedicated Covid hospitals in a record time of just one week, it said.
Thirty dedicated Covid hospitals were set up at the district level of which 17 are functioning in tripartite agreement with the Government, private hospitals and finance corporations. The health facilities were independently assessed by WHO and UN teams and Ashwini Covid hospital in Cuttack was recognised for its state of the art quality care.
Stating that Odisha laid down a strong governance framework with ‘Empowered Group of Ministers’ for quick decision making, the international health agency said dedicated teams were set up for social distancing, capacity building, containment strategy and awareness campaigns.
Testing capacity of the State was also enhanced from one functional laboratory to 19 and telemedicine services were introduced in 41 health institutions from July 21 to enable patients avail health services through direct consultation with doctors.