COVID-19: Centre assures genome sequencing machine to Jharkhand, says State Health Minister Banna Gupta

The Jharkhand government had asked the Central government to provide a genome sequencing machine for state-run Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Hospital over which assurance has been given by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, said state health minister Banna Gupta.

His statement comes after the Union Health Minister on Sunday interacted with State Health Ministers, Principal Secretaries, Additional Chief Secretaries of States/UTs and reviewed the public health preparedness to COVID-19 and national COVID-19 vaccination.

"Banna Gupta urged the Central Government to provide a genome sequencing machine in the meeting today. He said that when RIMS has got the title of Research Center, then Genome Sequence Machine must be available here. Accepting this, the Union Health Minister has said that the machine will be made available to Jharkhand soon," an official statement from the office of Banna Gupta read.

According to the statement, Gupta also demanded to raise the honorarium of Sahiya (ASHA) workers from Rs 2,000 to Rs 7,000, which has also been accepted by the Centre and a decision will be taken soon.

The state health minister, during the interaction, also demanded that the scheme of the Central government to provide free treatment to COVID-19 patients be strictly implemented to avoid exploitation by some private hospitals.

In order to avoid charging high rates at private hospitals amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the state health minister demanded that the tariff for treatment of COVID-19 patients at private hospitals be fixed, in which the tariff from admission to discharge of the patient will be declared.

"Many a time, the hospitals do not return the body of the deceased to the next of kin due to pending amount to be submitted to the hospital. There should be a rule against it," Gupta demanded in the interaction.

As per the statement, Gupta also requested to increase the centre-state contribution ratio in the schemes from 60:40 to 90:10, so that the State Government can strengthen its system.

A day before the commencement of COVID-19 vaccination of children aged 15 to 18 years, Gupta, during the interaction, asked the Union Health Minister to reduce the minimum age limit for vaccination to 12 years and include all falling in the age bracket of 12 to 18 years in the vaccination program for children.

Gupta said that when the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Drug Controller of India have given permission to administer Covaxin to children, the age limit for vaccination of children should be revised from 15 to 18 years to 12 to 18 years so that more children can get benefit from this.

( With inputs from ANI )