PM Modi reviewed the preparedness of Kovid in the country amidst the Omicron threat.
Highlight
- Ensure that health systems are strengthened in the states starting from the district level, said PM Modi
- He said the focus should be on expediting quick and effective contact tracing, testing, vaccine
- Center to send teams to states with less vaccination, more cases, inadequate health infrastructure
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a high-level COVID review meeting on Thursday urged officials to focus on quick and effective contact tracing, ramping up testing, expediting vaccination and strengthening health infrastructure. In the wake of the new version – Omicron – the prime minister said to remain ‘cautious’ and ‘careful’. During the meeting, PM Modi discussed the new version of concern (VOC) status, public health response measures for prevention and management of COVID19, availability of medicines, health infrastructure including oxygen cylinders and concentrators, ventilators, PSA plants, ICU/ Strengthened review. Oxygen supported beds, HR, IT intervention and vaccination status. The fight against the pandemic is not over, the PM said, and the need to continue adhering to COVID safe practices remains paramount even today.
- Officials briefed the Prime Minister on the emerging scenario globally driven by the new variant, with observations of an increase in cases in countries with high vaccination coverage and presence of the Omicron variant.
- He was also briefed on the technical brief and priority actions recommended by the WHO with respect to Omicron. A snapshot of the COVID19 and omicron situation in the country, which includes states with high number of cases, districts reporting high positivity and high number of clusters, was presented to the PM. Details of Omicron cases reported in the country, including their travel history, vaccination status and recovered status, were also presented.
- The Prime Minister was briefed about the revised travel advisory for international travelers, review meetings with States/UTs on COVID-19 public health response measures, expediting vaccination, installation of oxygen supply equipment, etc.
- The PM directed the officers to maintain a high level of vigilance and vigilance at all levels. He directed the Center to work in close coordination with the states to support their efforts for prevention and management of public health measures under a ‘total government’ approach.
- The Centre’s strategy for a proactive, focused, collaborative and cooperative fight against the pandemic should guide all our future actions, the PM directed the officials.
- The PM directed the officials to ensure that health systems in the states, starting from the district level, are strengthened to meet any challenges posed by the new version. It is important for the states to ensure that the oxygen supply equipment is installed and fully functional, he directed the officials. He asked the officials to work with the states on a regular basis and state the preparedness of various components of the health infrastructure including training and capacity building of human resources, timely availability of ambulances, readiness of the states to operationalize COVID facilities for institutional quarantine. directed to review. and effective and supervised monitoring of those in home isolation. He also directed the officers for effective use of IT tools for tele-medicine and tele-consultation.
- He said that more active, prompt and effective surveillance through emerging clusters and hotspots should continue. He directed to expeditiously send a good number of positive samples to Insacog Labs for genome sequencing.
- The PM also directed to speed up testing to ensure quick identification of cases for timely prevention and treatment. He said that attention should also be given to effective contact tracing to contain the spread of transmission. The PM directed the officials that the central government should send teams to help improve the situation in states with low immunization, rising cases, inadequate health infrastructure.
- The PM was apprised of the progress of vaccination across the country. He was apprised that more than 88% of the eligible population has been given the first dose of COVID19 vaccine and more than 60% of the eligible population has received the second dose.
- Officials informed the PM that the door-to-door Har Ghar Dastak vaccination campaign to mobilize and vaccinate people has been able to motivate people to take the COVID 19 vaccine, and has shown encouraging results in increasing the vaccine coverage. . The PM directed that the states need to ensure that the eligible population is fully vaccinated against COVID19, and proceed to meet the target in saturation mode.
Cabinet Secretary Dr. VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Shri. AK Bhalla, Home Secretary Shri. Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary (MoHFW), Secretary (Pharmaceuticals) along with other officers, Dr. Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary (Biotechnology); Dr. Balram Bhargava, DG ICMR; Mr. Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary (AYUSH); Shri Durga Shankar Mishra, Secretary (Urban Development); Mr. RS Sharma CEO NHA; Pro. Of. Vijay Raghavan (Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India).
read also , Covid boosters would be ideal for ‘every 6 months for many years’
read also , Center asks polling states to expedite immunization of Kovid amid fear of omicrons
,