Corp to seek public support

KOCHI: The second wave of the pandemic has made things worse for health departments and local self-governing bodies throughout the country. In Kochi, though awareness campaigns are in full swing, the corporation is staring at a big crisis,  said Mayor M Anilkumar.

There was no plan fund allocated to fight the second wave in the LSGD budget. Since the Model Code of Conduct is still in place, no new fund can be allocated until May 2, the day the assembly election results will be announced. “Our mission is to increase the number of Second-Line Treatment Centres (SLTCs). Immediately, four SLTCs will be started,” said Anilkumar.

The heads of the organisations, especially religious leaders gathered at the meeting convened by the mayor at Town Hall offered to provide their halls and buildings free of cost to set up SCLTCs. Some even came forward to provide free food at the centres , while other institutions offered to provide medical help for the patients  “In six days, 13,000 people have benefitted from the mass vaccination drive.

We were holding eight vaccination camps daily. Now, the problem is the shortage of vaccines, though we bring 500 people to a vaccination centre, only 200 are getting the injection,” he said, hoping that things will improve in the coming days.