Delhi: 10 Key Takeaways From Home Minister Amit Shah's Plan For Handling Surging COVID-19 Crisis In The Capital

Union Ministers Amit Shah and Dr. Harsh Vardhan met Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on June 14 after the Supreme Court pulled up the Delhi government over its mishandling of the patients and dead bodies in hospitals and a sudden drop in testing.

The national capital has been making headlines for its shortfalls in COVID care facilities. The capital city has accounted for 38,000 cases so far. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia stated that going by the current doubling rate in the city, 5.5 lakh cases and over 80,000 hospital beds are expected by the end of July, for which Delhi is not adequately prepared.

Home Minister Amit Shah assured the Delhi government that central aide will be provided in terms of railway coaches and provisions will also be made to increase the testing capacity of Delhi hospitals.

Here are some major takeways from the meeting:

1. In a series of tweets Union Minister Amit Shah stated the measure to be taken to pull Delhi Government out of this COVID crisis. "In view of the shortage of beds for Corona infected patients in Delhi, the Modi government at the Center has decided to immediately give 500 railway coaches to Delhi. These railway coaches will not only increase 8000 beds in Delhi but this coach will be equipped with all facilities to fight the corona infection," Amit Shah tweeted.

2. In another tweet, Shah said COVID-19 tests in Delhi will be doubled in the next two days and increased by three times after six days.

3. To improve on the contact mapping in the national capital's containment zones, a "comprehensive health survey of every person will be done from house to house", Amit Shah added.

4. To help private hospitals deal with coronavirus patients, the Centre will form a committee of senior doctors at Delhi's prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences, which will provide guidance on the telephone. The helpline number of which will be released on June 15.

5. The Centre has also assured the Delhi government that it would supply the necessary resources including oxygen cylinders, ventilators, and pulse oximeters to fight this epidemic.

6. Delhi currently has a quarter of the 80,000 beds it needs. The Delhi government said over the coming week, it will add 20,000 beds across the hotels and banquet halls of the city to cope with the expected surge of patients in a report by NDTV.

7. Delhi CM was pleased by the measures suggested in the meeting and thanking Union Minister, Amit Shah, vowed to tackle COVID-19 together. "Extremely productive meeting between Delhi govt and Central govt. Many key decisions are taken. We will fight against corona together," Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted.

8. Last week, the Arvind Kejriwal government's order to reserve the hospitals it runs for the people of Delhi was scrapped by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, who said treatment "should not be denied to any patient on grounds of being a non-resident".

9. On June 12, the supreme court while criticizing the Delhi government's handling of the crisis said "The situation in Delhi, it said, was "horrendous, horrific and pathetic".

10. Current COVID cases in Delhi stand at 36,824 with 13,398 recoveries and a death toll accounting for about 1,214 cases.

Also Read: Mumbai, Delhi Among Five States To Witness Shortage Of COVID Facilities: Centre