Health workers talk to attendants of a patient at a hospital meant for treating COVID-19 patients in New Delhi.
Around 18,000 people will be tested for coronavirus in the national capital every day from June 20 by the Delhi government, AAP leader Sanjay Singh said. The development has come after Union Home Minister Amit Shah conducted an all-party meeting on COVID situation in the city.
"During the all-party meeting it has been decided that 1,900 beds in state government hospitals, 2,000 beds in central government hospitals and 1,078 beds in private hospitals will be added for Covid-19 patients," Amit Shah said.
"He 500 isolation ward coaches will be provided by railways for 8,000 patients. The number of isolation ward coaches will be increased to 1,000 in the coming days taking the facility to 16,000 COVID patients," he said.
The Rajya Sabha MP also said that the government has decided to appoint IAS officers to monitor the central, state and private hospitals in the national capital for the COVID-19 treatment.
"From June 20, we will conduct 18,000 Covid-19 tests," he said.
Shah had called the all-party meeting to discuss the Covid-19 situation in the national capital. The meeting was also attended by newly appointed Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta and Delhi Congress chief Chaudhary Anil Kumar at the North Block office here.
Speaking to reporters, Gupta said, "We have demanded from the government to cap the price of the Covid-19 testing at the private labs." He further said that the BJP has raised the issue of increasing the number of beds in the hospitals for COVID-19 patients.
The Congress leader said that it is the responsibility of the central and state governments to answer the people. He said, "We have submitted 11 points with the government. We have said that stadiums and places like Pragati Maidan should be taken up to ramp up capacity in Delhi. The schools and colleges and their hostels should be used for Covid-19 patients."
Commenting on the railway isolation ward coaches, he said, "As the temperature of Delhi is soaring we have asked the government to look for other arrangements instead of isolation ward coaches."
Kumar accused the AAP government of not completing the three hospital projects in the city which could have added over 2,900 beds.
ALSO READ | 2 Indian High Commission officials in Islamabad missing
ALSO READ | No plans for reimposition of lockdown in Delhi, confirms CM Arvind Kejriwal
