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State Govt, NHM released Rs 579.90 cr to tackle COVID

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Sept 1 - Assam government and National Health Mission has so far released Rs 579.90 crore for various expenses related to COVID-19 pandemic in the State, the Assembly was informed today.

In a written reply to a question by Congress MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the pandemic is still continuing and the audited statements from different districts are yet to be received and as such it will not be possible to provide the details of actual expenditure incurred.

However, the Health department and NHM has released Rs 199.72 crore to various districts for upgradation of existing hospitals, maintenance of screening and quarantine centres and clinical and other management of cases in COVID care centres.

An amount of Rs 3.85 crore has been provided to different medical colleges for expenditure related to management of COVID-19.

NHM has released Rs 52.95 crore for incurring various expenditure on COVID-19 related testing, antigen and RT-PCR test kits, RNA extraction kits, outsourcing of testing to private labs etc.

Also, NHM has paid bills amounting to Rs 75.81 crore for procuring various lifesaving drugs, PPEs, masks, gloves and other consumables used by frontline workers. NHM has also paid bills amounting to Rs 37.69 crore for procuring ventilators, multi- para monitors, infra-red thermometers, ICU beds, other hospital furniture, oxygen cylinders etc required for clinical management of COVID-19. On transportation of patients and migrants from outside the State, NHM has incurred expenses of Rs 42.89 crore.

Information campaign activities through different media have cost around Rs Rs 3.41 crore, while Rs 1.06 crore has been spent for engaging additional human resources, training and quarantine stay of the health workers.

An additional Rs 1.60 crore has been spent on transportation of essential materials to different districts, sanitization and stationery.

Also, NHM has released Rs 160 crore as direct beneficiary transfer for financial assistance to needy people stranded in different parts of the country and abroad.

So far, Assam has received Central government funds of Rs 72.73 crore for the financial year 2019-20 and Rs 119.10 crore for the year 2020-21 and Rs 4.99 crore from DoNER Ministry, which totals to Rs 196.82 crore. The Central government has also provided some equipments and drugs.

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