Health Ministry asks states, UTs to review infrastructure requirements under Covid response package

Union Health Ministry on Thursday asked states and Union Territories (UTs) to conduct a quick gap analysis for various infrastructure components under the "India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Package: Phase II" and stressed on effective advance preparations for efficient clinical management of the infection.

The government said that the hub and spoke model for Tele-consultation services may be improved including for the services at the COVID Care Centres, through district-level hubs.

This comes as the Health Ministry reviewed "India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Package: Phase II" with Health Secretaries and senior officials of all States and Union Territories (UTs) through video conferencing.

Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the new scheme "India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project: Phase-II" amounting to Rs. 23,123 crore for FY 2021-22 on July 8, 2021. This will be implemented till March 31, 2022.

"The scheme aims to accelerate health system preparedness for immediate responsiveness for early prevention, detection and management with a sharp focus on health infrastructure development including Paediatric care and with measurable outcomes," the government said.

This will help in strengthening decentralized public health actions and public health facilities in rural, peri-urban and tribal areas.

States/UTs were requested to send their expenditure proposals at the earliest to enable expeditious approval and sanctioning from the Union Government.

The Centre further suggested that final year MBBS students, UG interns and PG residents may be utilised under the supervision of the faculty as per the National Medical Commission Guidelines for providing services of mild COVID management through Tele-consultation.

It was also pointed out that procurement of drugs for effective COVID management is an essential component of ECRP-II; guidelines on procurement and buffer stocks have been already shared with the states which may be adopted for this purpose. Guidance can be tweaked to local needs and states must come up with their own assessments based on stocks and costs involved.

( With inputs from ANI )