Make Pune District Self-Sufficient In Oxygen Supply Ahead Of Third Wave: Ajit Pawar
Mrunal Jadhav
Pune, 2nd July 2021: Medical experts have predicted a third wave of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Given the possibility of a third wave, the Maharashtra State government is focusing on strengthening the health system.
Deputy Chief Minister and Pune district Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday directed that the district should be self-sufficient in oxygen supply along with increasing oxygen capacity. He also instructed the administration to provide treatment facilities in metropolitan as well as rural areas of the district.
A meeting to review the COVID-19 situation and measures in the district was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar at the Council Hall of the Pune Divisional Commissioner’s Office.
Zilla Parishad (ZP) President Nirmalatai Pansare, MP Dr Amol Kolhe, Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol, Pimpri Chinchwad Mayor Mai Dhore, MLA Ashok Pawar, MLA Sunil Tingre, MLA Chetan Tupe, MLA Siddharth Shirole, Divisional Commissioner Saurabh Rao, Pune Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Patil, PMRDA Chief Executive Officer Suhas Divase, Collector Dr Rajesh Deshmukh, Municipal Corporation Additional Commissioner Rubal Agarwal, Pimpri Chinchwad Police Krishna Prakash, District Superintendent of Police Dr Abhinav Deshmukh, ZP Chief Executive Officer Ayush Prasad, Retired Director-General of Health Dr Subhash Salunkhe and other senior officers from various departments were present during the meeting.
Deputy Chief Minister said that the administration needs to be more vigilant about the availability of facilities like oxygen, ventilators, necessary trained manpower, etc., in addition to keeping the rural health system equipped against the backdrop of a possible third wave of COVID-19.
He said that medical facilities should be made available immediately to the patients in the rural areas and strengthening of all the facilities in the rural health system should be the first priority.
Instructing the police administration to take appropriate precautions to control the growing crowd, the deputy chief minister said, “Everyone has a responsibility to abide by the rules implemented for the prevention of COVID-19. Due to the possibility of a third wave, various facilities like the setting up of oxygen plants, separate hospitals, separate treatment facilities for children, etc., are being set up right now. Similarly, the chain of surveys, contacts and coordination should be maintained.”
He also said that since there has been a large supply of vaccines from the Central government, the administration is planning to vaccinate 1.5 lakh people in the district every day.
ZP President Pansare, Dr Amol Kolhe, MLA Ashok Pawar, MLA Sunil Tingre, MLA Chetan Tupe, MLA Rahul Kul, and MLA Siddharth Shirole also made some suggestions during the meeting.
Dr Subhash Salunke said that if the vaccination number was increased, the risk of a possible third wave of COVID-19 could be prevented.
Divisional Commissioner Saurabh Rao gave a presentation on positive patients’ rate in the district this week as compared to the previous week, the measures being implemented by the administration in the district, sample testing of citizens, affected patients, hospital management, vaccination status, rate of mucormycosis, and mortality rate in the district.
Pune Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Patil informed about the measures being taken by the municipal corporations.
District Collector Dr Rajesh Deshmukh and ZP Chief Executive Officer Ayush Prasad provided information about the condition of COVID-19 patients in rural areas and measures. The meeting was attended by chief officers of various agencies.
