Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan will be holding a meeting this evening via video conferencing with States' Health Secretaries and senior officers to review Covid-19 preparedness. This comes just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of the situation. A nationwide mock drill is being planned for 10-11 April wherein health facilities from all districts are expected to participate
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan to hold a meeting, via video conferencing, with States' Health Secretaries and senior officers to review Covid-19 preparedness today evening, news agency ANI reported.
Nationwide Mock Drill On April 10, 11
According to a joint advisory issued by the Union Health Ministry and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Saturday, both public and private health facilities in all districts are expected to participate in the exercise aimed at taking stock of availability of medicines, hospital beds, medical equipment and medical oxygen.
The nationwide mock drill will take place on April 10 and 11 to take stock of hospital preparedness.
The exact details of the mock drill shall be communicated to the states in the virtual meeting scheduled on March 27, the advisory stated.
PM Modi's Review Meeting
Last week, PM Modi chaired a high-level meeting to assess the Covid-19 and Influenza situation in the country in terms of preparedness of health infrastructure and logistics, the status of the vaccination campaign, the emergence of new Covid-19 variants and Influenza types and their public health implications for the country. He directed officials to enhance the Whole Genome Sequencing of Positive Samples with the designated INSACOG Genome Sequencing Laboratories. This will enable the tracking of newer versions and will help in taking prompt actions, said a PIB press release.
The PM underlined the need for patients, hospital professionals, and other visitors to hospitals to ensure Covid apt behaviour, which includes using masks when on hospital grounds. He also emphasised the need for masks when older people and people with co-morbidities visit crowded spaces.
The last mock drills for Covid-19 in India were conducted in December last year when there was a surge in cases in nations such as China, Japan, Brazil, and South Korea.