Assam floats tender for 3,000 body bags to prepare for the worse Covid-19 situation

GUWAHATI: As the state’s Covid-19 death toll shot up to 430 with 16 more deaths reported on Friday making the situation alarming, the National Health Mission, Assam is seeking to purchase 3000 body bags to prepare itself to meet the worse situation in the coming days.
Since Wednesday, 52 Covid-19 patients have succumbed—18 each on Wednesday and Thursday and 16 on Friday. The spurt in deaths has also created difficulties for several deputy commissioners in carrying out the last rites in terms of expenses, which has forced the government to step in with funeral assistance of Rs 5000 now.
The e-tender issued on August 28 says the body bags are required “on an urgent basis in view of Covid-19 pandemic.”
The specifications demand that the 3000 body bags should be “impermeable, leak proof, air sealed, double sealed, disposable, opaque, white, U shape with Zip, grips and Size: 2.2 x 1.2 Mts.”
Mission director of NHM Assam Dr Lakshmanan S when contacted said, “We are seeking to purchase 3000 body bags…we have 33 districts and if we have to distribute 100 body bags to each district, this number is not that big. There will be some districts which may not 100 bags while some districts like Kamrup (metro) might need more than 100 body bags. You can say we want to keep ourselves prepared for the worst.”
On the other hand “In view of the difficulties communicated by Deputy Commissioners regarding cremation of Covid-19 positive patients, it is decided that expenditure up to Rs 5,000 will be allowed in each case of death of each Covid positive patient, towards cremation expenses, if the relatives do not receive the body or they cannot bear the cremation expenses. Fund for this purpose will be provided by NHM, Assam,” an order from the state health department stated.
On Friday the cumulative number of positive cases rose to 1,38,339 with the addition of 2534 fresh cases. But, the positivity rate on Friday fell to below 7% from nearly over 7% on Thursday.
Altogether 77% patients have recovered so far in the state while over 32000 patinest are still under care in different hospitals and Covid care centres.