Mamata Banerjee seeks more ventilators from PM Modi to fight Covid-19
Mamata Banerjee urged the Prime Minister, during a video conference, to ensure that the Union government issues guidelines on Covid-19 vaccines to fight the pandemic.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday to send more ventilators and oxygen supply apparatus needed to treat critically ill Covid-19 patients.
Banerjee also urged the Prime Minister, during a video conference, to ensure that the Union government issues guidelines on Covid-19 vaccines to fight the pandemic. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), three Indian vaccines are in different phases of clinical testing at present.
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“We request the Central government to provide us more high flow nasal cannulas and ventilators,” Banerjee, was quoted in a media statement issued by the state government
The video conference was convened by Modi for chief ministers of 10 states, including West Bengal, to discuss the situation arising out of Covid-19 pandemic in the country.
By Tuesday evening, the number of people testing positive for Covid-19 crossed one lakh and stood at 1,01,390 . he state has around 1,140 patients admitted in various hospitals, whose conditions were stated to be critical.
The chief minister once again raised the issue of dues, which the centre reportedly owes the state, while highlighting the achievements made by the state administration including setting up of a Covid warrior club, Covid patient management system.
“The state is still to receive Rs 4,135 crore towards GST compensation and overall outstanding dues of Rs 53,000 crore from the central government,” Banerjee said
The West Bengal government had in April come under flak from the two inter-ministerial central teams for the death audit committee and the high fatality rate of Covid-19 patients in the state. The state had later stopped the death audits.
During the meeting she said: “At the start we had emphasized on death audits but now it is vindicated that comorbidity is an important element in Covid deaths. Eighty-nine per cent of Covid deaths in our state were due to comorbidities like diabetes, cancer and hypertension.”
Till August 10, 2,100 patients have died in West Bengal with Kolkata recording the maximum deaths.