COVID-19: Central Health team compliments Telangana govt for 'HITAM' app, suggests 'Delhi model'

A central government health team visited Telangana between August 9-10 and met State Health Minister Eatala Rajender and held a detailed discussion with state government officials on COVID-19 management in Hyderabad.

The central team made a presentation on the Delhi model to highlight the steps taken towards effective containment.

Dr Vinod Kumar Paul, Member, NITI Aayog, Aarti Ahuja, Additional Secretary, Union Health Ministry and Dr Raveendran visited Hyderabad to discuss various issues related to COVID-19 management with state officials. Subsequently, the members of the central team met Rajender and also held a detailed discussion with the state government officials on COVID management.

Paul complimented the innovative efforts of Telangana government in introducing HITAM app to monitor and provide telemedicine to home isolation patients in the state.

He said that details of the innovative HITAM app will be shared with other states along with all good work done by the state in other areas related to COVID management. He expressed that testing had been ramped up in the state recently which, according to him is crucial to control the pandemic.

"The central and state governments will work together on action points discussed in the meeting to flatten the curve. Hospital preparedness levels, infection control measures, providing treatment for patients were very satisfactory," he said.

Eatala Rajender said that the government is working in close coordination with the central government to control the spread of the virus.

"The state government under the guidance and leadership of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao who is committed to the health of the people of the state and is working 24x7 to save the lives of the people. The central team expressed satisfaction on testing and treatment protocol in the state. The members gave suggestions on prevention of virus in rural areas," he said.

Earlier, Dr VK Paul along with the central officials held meeting with Telangana State Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar IAS and other senior officials of the state.

Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar said that Rao during the recent cabinet meeting has directed the officials to increase the testing capacity to 40,000 daily and allotted special funds to handle the COVID pandemic in the state.

( With inputs from ANI )