Covid-19 Management: Delhi cabinet approves additional allocation of Rs 1544 crore

According to officials, the budget will be spent on further enhancing testing and labs, procuring supplies, mobilising additional human resources, increasing health facilities in hospitals and managing Covid Care Centres, among others.

"Of the total budget, Rs 415 crore will be used for the strengthening of COVID-19 testing and labs. Rs 445 crore will be allotted for procurement of supplies. A budget of Rs 280 crore will help bolster health facilities and hospitals along with an amount of Rs 125 crore that will aid the management of Covid care centres," the government said in a statement.

"The experts are anticipating a third wave of COVID-19 cases in India, including Delhi, bigger than the earlier surges of COVID-19 cases. The Delhi government in that view had constituted a state level task force under state nodal officer and several task-based sub committees to prepare for management of probable third wave of COVID-19 in Delhi," it added.

Officials said that 6,836 ICU beds will be added in seven hospitals in Delhi after which the capacity of ICU beds in the national capital will increase to 17,000.

"In order to ensure that oxygen crisis like that during second wave does not arise in future, the government is making Delhi self-sufficient in the matter of oxygen. Seventy-three PSA plants with a capacity of 77.80 MT are being installed in Delhi government hospitals. All the plants will be commissioned by the end of November," it added.