Assam govt to set up 4 temporary hospitals for COVID-19 patients: Minister

The Assam government has decided to set up four temporary hospitals with 300 beds each across the state for treatment of COVID-19 patients, a minister said on Thursday.

The government is also constructing an isolation facility for 700 persons at the Sarusajai Sports Complex, which will be ready within the next seven days, health and family welfare minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

"We have discussed with a leading construction company to construct temporary hospitals. Almost all parliamentarians from both ruling and opposition parties of Assam have offered to contribute funds to set up the hospitals," Sarma told reporters after inspecting the ongoing construction work at the complex.

He said the government is looking to have four such hospitals with 300 beds each.

"It will be finalised within the next 2-3 days. We are looking to set up these hospitals in places where there is no medical college," he said.

Assam has not reported any COVID-19 case so far. "We have enough space in the Sarusajai Sports complex to set up an isolation unit for another 1,000 persons.

However, this will be created subject to availability of logistics as construction materials for a temporary structure are not available at this moment," Sarma said.

The government may build another such facility at Radha Gobinda Baruah Sports Complex as well, he added.