Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba held a meeting with the Chief Secretaries sand Health Secretaries of nine states and one UT on Thursday to review the COVID-19 management and response strategies in these states.
Gauba held a video conference with the chief secretaries and health secretaries of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Gujarat, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, the health ministry said in the statement.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan made a detailed presentation on the current status of COVID-19 in these states/UT, with a focus on districts reporting high case fatality and the need to refine as well as strengthen approach and strategies relating to testing, contact tracing, surveillance, containment, home isolation, availability of Ambulances, hospital beds, oxygen, treatment protocols, etc.
It was observed that out of the total deaths in the country in the last two weeks, 89 per cent of deaths are in these 10 states/UT and hence, these states/UT need to have continued and rigorous vigil so as to contain the spread of infection as well as take steps to reduce fatalities.
The states and UTs were also advised to ensure that at least in 80 per cent of new coronavirus cases, all close contacts be traced and tested with 72 hours and a minimum of 140 tests per million per day be done in all districts while targeting a positivity/confirmation rate of less than five per cent, it said.
The states and UT were asked to regularly monitor home isolation patients (tele-calling and home visits) and ensuring timely admission to the healthcare facilities if SPO2 level falls below the designated level.
They were asked to leverage on antigen tests in containment zones, healthcare settings and retesting of all symptomatic negatives with RT-PCR.
They were also asked to put in public domain the availability of beds and ambulances across COVID facilities while significantly reducing ambulance response time and monitor fatality rates week-wise for each health facility with particular focus on vulnerable patients above the age of 60. They were asked to focus on saving lives by effective clinical management of all cases.
The states and UT were advised to upgrade COVID facilities and monitor availability and usage of necessary drugs, masks and PPE kits in all facilities. They were also asked to focus on behavioral change communication promoting COVID-appropriate behaviour consisting of social distancing, wearing of masks, hand hygiene, cough etiquettes etc.
The Chief Secretaries explained the current situation in the States/UT and their preparedness to tackle the spread of COVID-19, health infrastructure available to meet the challenge and steps taken to strengthen it further. States/UT also highlighted steps taken towards reducing case fatality as well as involving the community in terms of COVID-safe behaviour.