COVID third wave: Emphasis should be given on increasing capacity of hospitals, says Nirmala Sitharaman

The whole country is currently battling covid-19. The covid situation in Kerala and some states in the country is very serious. Some experts say the increased number of infections is being seen as the beginning of the third wave of corona. Meanwhile, the government is trying to strengthen the health system. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has also commented on the Corona situation. The finance minister also said that possible efforts were being made by the government to prevent or minimize the impact of the third wave of corona infection.

The country’s healthcare system needs to be strengthened against the backdrop of the Corona. As part of this, the country is focusing on accelerating corona vaccination. The country may need more trained doctors and nurses as well as testing facilities, she said, adding that there is a need to increase the capacity of hospitals in small and medium-sized cities. She made the remarks while addressing a webinar on strengthening healthcare to get the Corona-affected economy back on track.

Speaking at the webinar, Dr VK Paul, a member of the policy commission and chairman of the Corona-related taskforce, said the number of beds for patients in the hospital was too low. Giving a comparative figure, Dr. Paul said it was a matter of concern that the country currently had only one bed for every 1,000 people. He also said that there should be at least two beds per thousand people. At present the number of beds is around 12 lakhs. This number needs to be increased to 24-25 lakhs, said Paul.