Free Medicines will be given through mobile OPD Vans, even samples will be collected for testing - Health Minister

Jaipur, 13 August. Health Minister Dr Raghu Sharma said that medicines given under ‘Chief Minister Free Medicine Scheme’ will be distributed to the general public through mobile OPD vans operating in the State and also facilities to collect samples for necessary investigation will also be made available in these vans. 

Dr. Sharma said that at present most of the hospitals have been made COVID free, but still the Government has directed to provide the facility of free medicine and testing schemes to the general public through the mobile OPD vans being run across the State, so as to provide more relief. He said that ‘Chief Minister Free Medicine Scheme’ was started in 2011 and ‘Chief Minister Free Diagnostic Scheme’ was started in 2013. Both schemes became an example in the country. He said that apart from corona, thousands of people every day are availing the medical facilities for the treatment of other diseases through mobile OPD vans. 

Letter written to ICMR to reconsider antigen test 

The Health Minister said that antigen tests are not found correct on which the health department’s principal secretary has written to ICMR to reconsider the antigen test and to improve its quality. He said that earlier too the State Government had questioned the reliability of the Rapid Testing Kits, after which the Central Government had to ban the use of these kits in the entire country. 

Efforts to bring mortality rate due to corona to zero 

Dr. Sharma said that the RMSCL has purchased live saving injections in the State and these injections are being made available at all the district hospitals. He said currently the mortality rate due to corona in the State is only 1.4%. Efforts are being made to bring this rate to zero. 

Awareness is increasing towards plasma donation 

He said that plasma therapy has proved to be an important method in treating corona. Those patients who were treated with plasma therapy have fully recovered and have gone home. He said now people are getting aware about the plasma donation. People who have turned negative from corona positive are coming forward and are donating their plasma. Recently, 48 people in Jhunjhunu have donated plasma. The District Collector of Jodhpur after recovering from corona donated his plasma and inspired the people. Plasma camps are being organised at Jodhpur, people are being motivated for plasma donation by organising camps in large scale at Pali and other districts. Appealing Corona Defeaters, he said that donating plasma does not cause any problems, there will be no weakness, but this act would definitely save someone’s life. 

More than 32,000 tests are being conducted every day 

Dr Sharma said that in the last few days there has been an increase in positive cases in the State, but there are more number tests behind the increasing number. More than 32,000 tests are being done in the State every day. He said that more people are asymptomatic, in such a situation the spread of corona could be stopped with more number of tests. He said that the Government’s objective is to get better recovery and reduce the fatality rate from corona. For this, the Department and the Government is leaving no stone unturned. In Rajasthan, 73-74% patients are recovering after better treatment, while the fatality rate due to corona has come down to 1.4%. 

State was leading in preventing corona due to the efforts of the Chief Minister 

The Health Minister said that Rajasthan compared to other States is in better position on every parameter to prevent corona and this result is due to Chief Minister Shri Ashok Gehlot, who took hundreds of video conferences and meetings with alertness and vigilance and kept an eye on every moment. He said that these efforts will be continued in future too, so that the general public could be saved from the ill-effect of the corona. 

Quarantine facilities will be further improved He said that committees were formed to improve the implementation of quarantine facilities. Now by making these committees effective once again the quarantine system in the villages will be strengthened. He said that all medical officers, sarpanchs, public representatives and other officers will be directed to strengthen the home quarantine facilities.