E-Paper
Pune to double vaccination centres, reserve 50% beds in private hospitals
Ajit Pawar, deputy chief minister and Pune’s guardian minister, announced on Friday that 50 per cent of beds from private hospitals are being acquired for Covid-19 patients.
The Pune district administration has started acquiring 50 per cent of beds from private hospitals in view of rising Covid-19 cases. It has also decided to double the number of inoculation centres from the existing 316 to 600 as a preventive step.
Ajit Pawar, deputy chief minister and Pune’s guardian minister, announced on Friday that 50 per cent of beds from private hospitals are being acquired while also increasing the capacity in government hospitals.
Pawar also announced that the number of vaccination centres will be doubled to 600 by the first week of April for which correspondence is being made with the Centre to increase the supply of vaccine doses.
The deputy chief minister emphasised the need for speeding up the vaccination drive to deal with the second wave of Covid-19 infections.
“Currently, there are 316 vaccination centres in Pune. We are going to double it by the first week of April. Even if we increase vaccination centres, it important to get a smooth supply of vaccination. To ensure this, I have spoken to Central minister Prakash Javadekar and Maharashtra chief Secretary. Javadekar has assured that Pune will receive adequate vaccine supply,” said Pawar after reviewing the Covid-19 situation during a meeting with the administration on Friday.
The Centre has already allowed the Covid-19 inoculation for people above 45 years from April 1. Pawar said that he has requested the chief minister to demand inoculation for people above 25 years in his next video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On Thursday, Pune district reported 6,426 fresh cases of Covid-19 with 20 deaths, a slight dip compared to Wednesday when 6,754 cases were registered. Despite restrictions, Pune’s Covid-19 tally is moving upward as a result of which the Pune Municipal Corporation had asked private hospitals to reserve 50 per cent beds for Covid-19 patients.
“Earlier, during the first wave, we had taken control of 80 per cent of beds in private hospitals. Today, we have decided to acquire 50 per cent of the beds in private hospitals in Pune. Jumbo facility in Pune has been activated. Jumbo facility in Pimpri Chinchwad will be operational from April 1. We have also started additional Covid Care Centres,” Ajit Pawar said in the press conference which he held after the Covid review meeting in Council Hall, Pune.
