Jharsuguda: The Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) Department is fully geared up for the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup to be played in the twin venues of Bhubaneswar and Rourkela from January 13-29.
“A review meeting over the upcoming Hockey World Cup was held today. All arrangements were reviewed in detail. We are fully prepared,” informed H&FW Minister Naba Kisore Das speaking to reporters after chairing the review meeting held here today.
Secretary H&FW, MD NHM and other senior officials were present at review meeting at the District Collector’s office here.
Briefing reporters Secretary H&FW Shalini Pandit informed that the Health Minister reviewed the arrangements made for the Hockey World Cup at the twin venues of Bhubaneswar and Rourkela.
“All arrangements have been made at the twin venues. There will be first aid centre at the stadiums, a mobile medical unit and emergency ambulance service near the stadiums. All the Urban CHCs and PHCs in these cities have been strengthened. Specialists from medical colleges and other districts have been deployed there,” said Pandit sharing the details of the arrangements made by the department.
She informed that Covid testing facility has been made available at all urban CHCs and PHCs.
“Anyone interested to get tested voluntarily can get tested,” she added.
The Health Secretary said that checking by Food Safety officials has been continuing for the last two months in these places will continue.
She further said that since a large number of people are using the Jharsuguda airport, large quantities of drugs, consumables and manpower have been deployed at the Jharsuguda Airport, and in CHCs and PHCs of Jharsuguda.
“A medical tent has been set-up at Jharsuguda Airport where any kind of emergency can be taken care of,” she added.
Responding to queries from reporters on whether there are chances of a Covid surge since many people would be coming from outside for the Hockey World Cup, the Health Secretary quoting the opinion of experts and scientists informed that the currently prevalent variant is mild.
“Despite Odisha being one of the States conducting the highest number of tests in the country we are getting only 4-5 positive cases daily. In Sundargarh and Jharsuguda over the last 10 days no positive cases have been detected. So we have no reason to worry at the present. We don’t anticipate any problem since it is a mild variant and no spread of cases” she pointed out.
