Covid rise: Give ‘highest priority’ to enhancing health infra, Govt to states
Premium- The Centre says states and UTs must ensure that in the eventuality of a potential surge in hospital admission, they are not “found wanting”.
The Centre today again asked states and UTs to start the exercise to repurpose preparedness against another potential surge in Covid-19 cases.
“With reference to the DO letter of Secretary (HFW) dated 01.01.2022, regarding emphasis on enhancing health infrastructure in wake of increasing Covid cases, it is expected that the world for re-establishment/re-commissioning of field/makeshift hospital facilities would have begun," a fresh letter issued by the Ministry of Home Additional Secretary Arti Ahuja said.
Ahuja said states and UTs can review the matter at their level regularly to ensure that in the eventuality of a potential surge in hospital admission, the state or UT is not found wanting.
The letter states that states and UTs are expected to “develop Covid-19 free care centres in hotel rooms and other similar accommodations to be linked with dedicated Covid hospitals for the care of mild or asymptomatic cases".
Additionally, it is imperative that logistical supplies like testing reagents and kits (both for RTPCR and Rapid Antigen Testing) are produced and maintained in ample supply to avoid any stock shortages, in case of sudden increase in number of cases, the letter said.
Ahuja urged the states and UTs to take these "preparatory measures" with highest priority and regular monitoring.
Amid a significant rise in Covid-19 cases across the country, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on January 1 had written to the chief secretaries of all states and UTs to take measures to deal with a possible surge in COVID cases.
Bhushan said in the context of the spread of variant of concern, Omicron, the world is currently reporting the highest ever surge in Covid-19 cases.
"In India, the case trajectory is also showcasing an upward trend with 16,764 cases reported on December 31, highest ever single day rise in past 70 days. Many developed nations in Europe and Americas are reporting a significant rise in new cases in the past weeks, which indicates high transmissibility of the virus," Bhushan wrote.
Bhushan has advises states and UTs to start the process of setting up makeshift hospitals and constitute special teams to monitor patients in home isolation.
He said to address a potential surge in cases, with a view to ensure preparedness, “states are advised to initiate creation of field or makeshift hospitals". This, he said, can be done with “coordination with DRDO and CSIR as well as the private sector, corporations, NGOs, etc," he said.
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