New Delhi, Aug 26 (PTI) Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Thursday said the state-run LNJP Hospital will get new wards equipped with over 100 plus 'oxygen beds' by October 15 which will help strengthen the fight against a possible third Covid wave.

Jain inspected the ongoing construction work of new Covid wards at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital on Thursday, an official statement said.

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These wards will be equipped with more than 100 'oxygen beds' and the work will be completed by October 15, it said.

In October last year, the national capital witnessed a deadly winter surge with a daily Covid caseload of more than 5,000. A panel set up by the National Institute of Disaster Management has recently submitted a report to the central government predicting the onset of the third wave in mid-October, it added.

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"These wards at the LNJP Hospital will be equipped with all necessary COVID-19-related medical facilities like oxygen beds, ventilators, and ICUs.

"The Kejriwal government is ramping up the capacity of all its government hospitals to ensure an enhanced effective response is built against the Covid-19 viru," the statement quoting Jain said, adding the minister is closely monitoring the construction of new wards and Covid-related facilities across the capital.

Jain, accompanied by hospital staff and doctors during the inspection of the progress of work, said, "October 15 has been set as the deadline for the construction of these wards.”

"Paid a surprise visit to the LNJP Hospital today along with @SwatiJaiHind & took stocks of Covid preparedness of the hospital. A new mother & child block is being constructed which will be equipped with oxygen beds, ICUs & ventilators," the minister said in a tweet.

The minister also highlighted the efforts being made to enhance the health infrastructure in the national capital against the potential outbreak of the third wave of COVID-19.

"We are closely monitoring the situation in Delhi and all the necessary lessons are taken from previous COVID-19 waves to form appropriate policies in the public interest. The Kejriwal government is focused on strengthening the beds capacity of Delhi government hospitals to ensure a high-quality treatment that is easily accessible to the people in case there is an outbreak of the third wave of COVID-19," he said.

This inspection of the work of at LNJP comes just a day after Jain visited Delhi government's Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital to inaugurate the 'Covid Rapid Response Centre'.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)